NASS Suspends Plenary For Senator Dantong

Senate yesterday suspended plenary in honour of their late colleague , Senator Gyang Daylop Dantong who passed on last Sunday during an attack by gunmen at a burial service for his slain constituents.

Following a motion presented by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba , the Senate observed one minute silence in respect of the deceased and also adopted the motion to suspend plenary till Wednesday. Speaking to newsmen after signing the condolence register opened for the late Senator at the National Assembly complex, President of the Senate, Senator David Mark for the umpteenth time called on Nigerians to embrace dialogue as the only means to attain a lasting peace in the nation, stressing that Senator Dantong had been sacrificed in the heat of the crisis he had worked so hard  to quell and prayed that this sacrifice of the life of a peace maker would bring an end to the ‘senseless’ killings in Plateau State and other states.

His words, “we should never get tired of preaching that there has to be dialogue because that’s the only solution. Any other solution is not going to be a lasting solution .

“Once there is dialogue and people are able to speak out their minds, and it is resolved and decisions are taken, then, it will be a lasting solution. My prayer is that let Senator Dantong’s death bring peace to Plateau State in particular and to Nigeria in general.

“He has become the sacrificial lamb now and his death would be in vain if we continue with this madness beyond this point. That’s my prayer to the people of Plateau State and Nigerians in general.

Mark also called on those wielding small arms to surrender them to help stem the level of violence currently consuming Nigerian states.

“All those who have small arms and weapons at their disposal should surrender them and they should allow the security agencies to take charge of security within this country, whether it is in Plateau State or in any other part of Nigeria at all, because that is their responsibility. That is what they are paid to do for us,” Mark advised.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremmadu. described Senator Dantong’s death as unfortunate and shameful.

He said it was very unfortunate that such a peace maker died in the midst of violence.

Other Senators from Plateau State also examined the circumstances surrounding the recurring crises in the state and called on the Federal Government to rise up to the occasion and ensure that peace was restored in the state while urging the Federal Government to also equip the state governor with some level of power to act as the chief security officer of the state.

Former governor of the state, Senator Joshua Dariye also stressed the need for dialogue and enjoined all to shun political, religious or tribal sentiments.

His words,” one cannot quantify the loss of a life. Even if the person is an ordinary citizen, a cleaner. Life before God is sacred and the sanctity of life cannot be reduced as had been reduced over the weekend. It’s very sad, we’ve been thrown into a moment of sadness.

“I believe that dialogue is still the best tool available. Even if you go to the war front to declare war, at the end of the day, you cannot get total peace without dialogue. I think that we must isolate it and see what the local community can do, what the state can do, what the Federal Government must do and then the international community with the media.

“This was a gentleman, a distinguished son of Nigeria who was voted by his people, served his people and died for his people. All we can say is that may God comfort the family.

“If we leave it like that, today, it is Plateau, tomorrow it may not be Plateau. We must all rise up. It is not about religion, we must close  our ranks, whether the person is Christian or Muslim. If we allow political sentiments take the better part of us, then, one day, we may wake up to find that we don’t have the Republic of Nigeria. God forbid”.

Senator Victor Lar, who couldn’t hide his anger, expressed the need for the state government to be strengthened to deal with the situation.

According to him, the invaders camp is not hidden and they had been allowed to live above the law all this while even under the nose of the federal security agencies.

The Senate will later next week hold a valedictory session for the late Senator Gyang Daylop Dantong.

Senator Dantong over the weekend, slumped and died during a stampede following attacks from gunmen at a funeral service for 63 of his constituents slain by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday in Abuja suspended plenary session in honour of Senator Gyang Dantong who died on Sunday in Jos.

Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal said the leadership of the House took the decision to suspend plenary session after due consultation with other members.

A minute silence was observed for the late senator and all those who lost their lives at the recent Jos incident.

‘’ The leadership consulted widely, and came to the understanding that in view of what happened in Jos, ( death of Dantong ) we suspend plenary today .’’

Senator Dantong was a former member of the House of Representatives during the fifth Assembly.

Addressing newsmen on the decision taken by the House, Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Zakari Mohammed,  said the decision to adjourn plenary session was on humanitarian ground.

‘’ We are just being human because the Senator ( Dantong ) did not plan to die that way.’’

Zakari, representing ( PDP – Kwara ) said the demise of Dantong further brings to question the House concern to the security situation in this country.

He stressed the need for review of the handling of the security situation in the country.

‘’We are extending the right signals now that we have to take bold steps to handle the security situation in the country,’’ he said.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja