The Special Task Force (STF) and the State Security Service (SSS) have halted a stakeholders meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bokkos Local Government of Plateau State.
It was learnt in Jos on Sunday that the meeting was shifted to Jos following the resistance of the STF and the SSS.
The security operatives cited security challenges as reasons for the stoppage and asked them to change the venue to outside the council.
The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mr Solomon Maren, said there was more to the reason advanced by the security agencies.
“The PDP family in Bokkos comprise of people of integrity; hence they will not do anything that will be detrimental to the well being of their people and council.
“After all, we wrote and obtained permission from the police, who promised to provide us with adequate security as was the usual practice, but the STF and SSS objected to it.
“As law abiding citizens, we did comply, even though we are not happy that we are not allowed to hold the meeting in our own home, since the issues concerned bother on the well being of our people,’’ he said.
Maren attributed the action of the security operatives to an internal wrangling within the party, which he said, by God’s grace, would soon come to an end.
Mr Titus Alams, the member representing Bokkos Constituency in the House of Assembly, described the stoppage as “very unfortunate and sad’’, but that they would not be deterred by the stoppage.
He said “politics is all about interest; PDP in Bokkos will continue to remain as a family no matter the situation’’.
Alams said they would want to believe that the shift in the venue of the meeting was in good faith and not a deliberate attempt to sideline or ridicule anybody.
The STF Media Officer, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, when contacted, said he was not aware of the stoppage of the PDP stakeholders’ meeting in the area.
Mustapha said that it could be the Task Force Unit Commander in Bokkos, who took the decision even though he said he was not aware of any security challenge in Bokkos lately.
“As we speak, I am not aware of any security challenge in Bokkos or the neighbouring Barkin-Ladi Local Government of late, but I think it could be the decision of our unit commander in the area,’’ he said.
He called on the people of Bokkos, especially the PDP stakeholders, not be aggrieved over the stoppage, saying that the issue of security was paramount and should be taken serious by all and sundry.
The meeting was later held at the Plateau Hotel in Jos Metropolis.
