APC primaries: Tension mounts in Nasarawa as Lafia Communities protest political marginalization
Tension is building in Nasarawa State ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections, as communities in Lafia Central Constituency have raised concerns over political marginalisation.
Residents from parts of the constituency are mobilising for a peaceful protest to draw attention to what they describe as longstanding imbalance in the distribution of political offices within Lafia Local Government Area.
The protest, scheduled to hold before the APC primaries, is aimed at calling the attention of Governor Abdullahi Sule, the state APC leadership led by Dr. Aliyu Bello, and other key stakeholders to what the aggrieved communities termed “systemic exclusion” in the political arrangement of the area.
The concerned groups, drawn largely from the three electoral wards of Akurba, Agyaragu Tofa and Wakwa, collectively referred to as Lafia Three Wards, allege that they have been consistently sidelined in both elective and appointive positions.
They claim that the four electoral wards of Ciroma, Gayam, Makama and Zanwa, known as Lafia Four Wards, have continued to dominate political appointments and elective offices in the constituency.
According to the groups, most key government positions at the state and local levels are currently occupied by individuals from the four wards, including commissioners, permanent secretaries, local government chairman, and heads of major agencies and institutions.
They further alleged that the four wards have also enjoyed extended representation at the National Assembly, including over a decade in the House of Representatives, as well as several high-profile federal appointments.
In contrast, the protesting communities said the three wards have been left with little or no representation, noting that they currently lack significant political appointments beyond the level of councillor.
They also pointed out that the position of local government chairman in Lafia has, for over two decades, rotated exclusively among the four wards, leaving the three wards without a sense of inclusion.
The groups are therefore appealing to Governor Sule, the APC leadership, and the Emir of Lafia, among other stakeholders, to urgently intervene and address the imbalance.
They specifically called for the 2027 State Assembly ticket for Lafia Central Constituency to be zoned to the three wards, arguing that such a move would promote equity, fairness, and unity among the diverse communities in the area.
According to them, ensuring political inclusion would not only foster peace but also strengthen the democratic process within the constituency.
