2023:Don’t play politics of bitterness – Speaker begs Taraba Politicians

 

As the drumming of politics heightens and politicking gradually gathers momentum, Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Prof. Joseph Albasu Kunini, has urged his colleagues and politicians in the state to eschew politics of bitterness, unnecessary campaigns of calumny and brickbats.

 

Speaking at the resumption of plenary for the first quarter of the third legislative year of the Ninth Assembly, the Speaker also enjoined the State legislators and the citizens not to deliberately heat up the polity as the 2023 general elections draw nearer.

 

He said, "Let me draw your attention to the fact that the drums of politics and politicking are beating; this is more so as we get nearer to the 2023 general elections.

 

"We must eschew politics of bitterness,  unnecessary campaigns of calumny and brickbats. It's unnecessary to deliberately heat up the polity. Let's allow peace and tranquility to reign supreme in our dear State; let's be our brother's keeper."

 

He further gave update on the quest for financial autonomy for the Legislature which led to three months nationwide industrial strike action by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) stressing, "I am pleased to report here that meaningful discussions held over this and a truce has been arrived at."

 

Regarding Legislature's functions he said, "I have no iota of doubt in my mind that we all have resumed with a renewed vigour, commitment and a huge determination more than ever before to continue with our statutory functions and obligations to our beloved State and her citizens.

 

"Rendering our qualitative services to our dear State with all our God-given talents and ability is not too much a sacrifice which we should make for the overall interest of our State and her teeming populace who always look up to us for appropriate direction.

 

"I, therefore, urge my Honourable Colleagues to maintain the tempo, so that our achievements in our statutory obligations and the social contract we have signed with our respective constituents via our election into this August Assembly will be fully delivered come 2023 when we would have rounded up the Ninth Assembly.

 

"In light of the above, I hereby direct that pending bills and other matters demanding legislative attention should be attended to without further delay."

 

It will be recalled that the legislators were constrained to embark on compulsory three months recess following the declaration of indefinite industrial action by PASAN over implementation of Financial Autonomy for the states' Legislatures in the federation.

 

Consequently, PASAN and its counterpart, the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), suspended the indefinite nationwide industrial strike action after a truce that was signed with the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) recently, thus granting the two arms of Government, Legislature and Judiciary, the Financial Autonomy.