Politicking weakens possibility Of development, says NIPSS don

—As NUJ holds discourse

From Daniel Dauda, Jos

The Directorate of research National Institute for policy and strategic studies, NIPSS, Kuru, Professor Pam Dung Sha warned political actors against pure politicking which undermines possibility of development as Nigeria heading towards 2023 general elections.

Sha acknowledged that over the years pure politicking by successive administration has diminished dividends of democracy and lower effective service delivery.

The academia throw the challenge on Thursday during the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Plateau State chapter discourse event with the theme:” beyond politicking; rethinking a patriotic agenda for the development of Plateau State”, held at Tamarald event centre, Jos.

On what should Plateau look like in the post 2023 elections, professor Sha reiterate that leadership must be consciously reactivate the state resources for the common good of all.

He said the state must raised against, ” winners take all approach to politics, excessive partisanship,blame games exclusion on the basis of ethnicity, religious or region, praise singing, imposition of candidate, opposition versus ruling party fight as well as election rigging amongst others.”

Going forward, the guest speaker charged the incoming administration in Plateau on the need for radical reorganization in security, education, agriculture, healthcare delivery, tourism, paid attention to local governance, improve the internal generated revenue (IGR) and also reduce the cost of governance.

The Vice Chancellor of Karl Kumm University, Prof. Nanven Gambo said overtime Plateau State had misrepresentation of ideas as far as politics is concerned, nothing that politics has to be a developmental agenda for for the people.

According to him, ” Plateau supposed to be the Industrial hub Nigeria not a civil servants looking at the comparative advantage”.

While commending Plateau NUJ for organizing a discourse as he discharge political parties candidates to be constructive in the course of their electioneering campaigns.

Speaking on the rationale behind the discourse, the chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists, Plateau State Council, Comrade Paul Jatau revealed that the political atmosphere towards 2023 general elections is getting toxic as a result of comments by supporters of various candidates.

He said NUJ is using the occasion to draw the attention of candidates and their followers to observe deterrence in the course of political campaign as campaign should center on issue based devoid of prejudice and molestation.

Meanwhile, the programme of NUJ discourse witnessed the presence of governorship candidates, National and State Assembly Candidates as well as stakeholders cutting across religious and ethnic background.