BY RAYYANU BALA

Governor Abdullahi A. Sule’s just concluded Local Government Councils’ tour from all parameters was successful and heartwarming. Before the commencement of the tour, Governor Sule made abundantly clear the intent of the tour which commenced in Toto and ended in Lafia last Wednesday. At the presentation of 25 brand new Lexus jeeps to First Class traditional rulers in the state, the governor said he would undertake the tour to hear directly from the people about how his administration has fared, the expectations of the people and what the administration is expected to deliver.

He also said the tour was to enable him inspect and commission some projects started by his administration. Indeed, visiting people at their locality to hear from them, first hand about how an administration is faring is the hallmark of democratic governance and Governor Sule has proudly exhibited such to the satisfaction of all lovers of democracy in Nasarawa state.

What Governor Sule did with regard to the tour was in conformity with international best practices. At this juncture, we must commend the governor for embarking on the tour and we must thank Almighty Allah for the hitch free exercise.

However, every discerning person will frown at the manner some mischief makers are trying to cast the tour, particularly visit to traditional rulers, in a negative light through creation of different connotations to what some personalities said in the course of the governor’s visit to some palaces.

In effect, the intension of these mischief makers is to cause disunity and disaffections in the polity in Nasarawa state solely to achieve their self-centered but narrow political interests. We must be wary of them.

If not for mischief, there is no any reasonable logic behind the twisted stories being planted in some online news outlets, targeted at our most revered paramount rulers.

A very clear example of these twisted stories is what some online newspapers quoted the Andoma of Doma as saying (out of context) when Governor Sule paid homage to him in his palace in Doma. These online outfits mischievously referred to all what the Andoma said in his speech as direct indictment on Dr Emmanuel Akabe, the state’s deputy governor. Those that were present at the Andoma’s palace and those that listened to his speech on live broadcast by the NBS would bear witness that the Andoma did not say anything that was inimical to the wellbeing or political fortunes of Dr Emmanuel Akabe.

Speaking in the Hausa language, the Andoma did not only extol the virtues of Emmanuel Akabe highly, but stoutly defended him of all that some section of the people of Doma and section of the Alago nation are alleging against him.

On this score, it is outrightly ridiculous for anyone to even contemplate accusing the Andoma of reducing himself to the level of demeaning his subject before the very important personalities who assembled before him on that day.

There is indeed, no disputing the fact that the Andoma of Doma has unreserved respect for Dr Emmanuel Akabe and the office of the deputy governor of Nasarawa state as such he cannot do anything to undermine Dr Akabe who is his son nor the office Dr Akabe is occupying. Regardless of what mischief makers do or say, they cannot create a wedge between a son and his father. They can continue beating the drum of disunity till thy kingdom come, nothing will come out of it, they cannot achieve their ill-motivated intension.

As journalists, we must guard against reports that are capable of creating disunity and disaffection amongst us, Nasarawa people. Our role is to douse tension not to escalate it. We owe the people of Nasarawa state a duty in this regard.