The peaceful serene of Nasarawa state penultimate week was literally disrupted as dozens of views and opinions for and against the planned sale of Nasarawa state assets by the state government filled the air just as various media platforms, both social and mainstream were awash with the issue, our media space was dominated by the discussion and still dominating especially with the passage of resolution by the State House of Assembly authorizing the state government to go ahead with the disposal of the said assets. Those against the disposals of the state assets in Lagos, Kaduna and Jos hinged their arguments on the parameter of sentiments. At the forefront of this imprudent argument was the leading opposition party in the state, the PDP. In a communiqué read by the state chairman of the party Francis Orugu, the PDP in a rather asinine manner, carpeted Governor Al-makura for coming up with the idea of selling the assets and the State House of Assembly for the endorsement.

While we can on one hand, concede that the PDP has the constitutional right to oppose anything the state government has done or is considering doing on account of been an opposition party , on the other hand however, we must admit that being in the opposition is not a license to incite the public to go against the government. The PDP communiqué on the planned sell of Nasarawa assets from all intends and purposes was designed to not only cause confusion but also ignite tension in the polity in the state.

The language and the tune of the communiqué suggests to every discerning mind that there was something sinister the PDP intends to achieve or else how could one explain this “Our state is under siege by a cabal led by no other person but the elected Governor of Nasarawa of State, Umaru Tanko Al-makura in connivance with Ayuba Dogara Ayenajeah and some faceless persons who, God willing will be revealed soon” The above quote can be decode to mean an incitement and if we cannot see this as an incitement then I need to be told what really incitement is. On the face value, you may think that the top echelons of the PDP in the state were obsessed by the interest and wellbeing of the people of the state by their communiqué but in definite terms they were indeed, driven by selfish motives.

The PDP sees the action of the state government on disposals of its assets as perfect opportunity to on one hand, shows to the people of Nasarawa state that they were genuinely concerned about Nasarawa state and on the other hand to cause mayhem in the polity so that they can reap the benefit in 2019.

As a matter of fact the PDP as a party was the architect of forlorn conditions we all find ourselves today in Nasarawa state which Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura is working hard day and night since 2011 to get us out. One will be wondering as why for 12 years that the PDP held sway in Nasarawa state, they did not do anything by way of addressing the problems of our inherited properties in Lagos, Kaduna and Jos, only to come out now and started crying wolf. In facts they just left the properties in a state of oblivion with utter disregard to what may be the consequences to our collective image as a people of Nasarawa state.

Reasons alluded to by the Al-makura led administration to want to dispose-of the assets are indeed incontrovertible, which include but not limited to: dilapidation, and deteriorating condition of the buildings, high cost of maintenance of the buildings and payment of municipal taxes, squatters challenge as well as collection of illegal rent by unscrupulous officers with such monies not coming to the state couple with the facts that all the properties earmarked for sell are properties that have become a liabilities that attracts no benefits to the state. All these are of-course palpable reasons that left the state government with no option then to put the properties up for sale.

If the PDP for the 12 years that was in power in the state provided all the needed support and attention to these properties earmarked for sale as did some states in the North, we couldn’t have been talking of selling them now. Like I said somewhere here, it was the PDP that caused us all these wahala. To me it is an insult on our collective psyche for the PDP to start lecturing us today on righteousness.

During their time the word righteousness was not in their dictionary book. During their time it was impunity and impunity all the way. As an opposition party, we expect the PDP to play the game with demureness in conformity with the best practices. Opposition parties in democratic scenery are to assist the government in power by way of constructive criticism. Both the ruling party and the parties in the opposition are partners in the business of governance; they were not meant to be hostile to each other. But sadly the PDP particularly in Nasarawa state sees antagonism to government in power as the main ingredient of been in the opposition. They (the PDP) always wish that Governor Al-makura fails in his efforts at moving the state forward. They don’t want to see him succeeding. The comportment of PDP in the state is but a repudiation of democratic values.

Immediate past American President Barrack Obama said “Hoping your President fails is the same as hoping your country fails, and it’s not patriotism. Patriotism is supporting your Commander –in- Chief, even if you don’t agree with him on everything” The PDP in Nasarawa state ought to learn something from Obama’s counsel. Hoping Al-makura to fail is the same as hoping Nasarawa to fail, and it’s not patriotism. Patriotism is supporting Governor Al-makura, even if we don’t agree with him on everything.

The proposed Selling of Nasarawa assets located at cities of Lagos,Kaduna and Jos ought to have been seen as a right step in the right direction, within the given circumstance. The idea of selling the properties should be a welcome development more so that the proceeds are to pump into more productive sector of the state economy.

What we should focus our minds to, is on the procedures of disposing of the assets, we should make sure that the sales follow due process and is carried out in a transparent manner devoid of any hanky- panky. And to guard against this, already Governor Al-makura has assured us of transparency in the process.

What else do we want?