Why I seek Urgent Intervention on Karim and Wurkin Ethnic Crisis – Hon Lauya

Hon Mohamed Lauya is a first time, People Democratic Party, PDP House of Representative Member representing Ardo-kola, Lau, Karim-Lamido Federal Constituency. In this interview with Informavores’ Ogechi Okorie, Hon Mohamed Lauya who moved a motion on the urgent need to intervene in the recurring communal crisis between Karim and Wurkin ethnic group over Karim Chieftaincy in the Karim -Lamido Local Government of Taraba State sheds more light on the crisis that has devastated over 30 communities.

The Excerpts:

You recently moved a motion on the Chieftaincy tussle in Taraba State. What prompted you to move that motion?

The reason behind the motion is the pain I saw in the eyes of the people of that community and not because of the crisis of the Chieftaincy title. If there is a way those people behind the crisis should be expunged from the planet, I will gladly do it. These are people who intermarry for ages. You see a 40-45 years old man that the mother is from the other tribe and the father is from the next one and they took up arms. What will possibly push some people to take up arms against that they have very good rapport with? Honestly it is uncalled for and condemnable and any of these should be condemned in all its entirety.

If you know the kind of suffering these people are going through now, you will feel their pain and when I presented the motion on the floor of the House, it came from my heart and because of the severity of the situation, I feel so pained. I have to give a lot of credit to my Governor because of the way he immediately swung into action to calm the situation down and considering the fact that he was once in the Military and he has the experience and capacity to govern the State and with a multifaceted society like Taraba State that have hundreds of different tribes. I cannot thank the Governor enough because of his proactive efforts towards the situation. In fact at the point, both Christians and Muslims and even leaders and people outside the State were praying earnestly and God really intervened

And that is why I have to do what I have to do by contributing my own quota by bringing it to the fore

You have been in the oil sector for some years now and also a member of PENGASSAN, How will your experience there reflect on the floor of the House?

Trade unionism in NNPC is quite different from what is happening here but the processes are the same. The only thing is that PENGASSAN is a controlled and organised Association where you have well trained people that knows what to do and before you talk, you must know what you are talking about but in Nigerian Politics is quite different. Someone from the street will just come and challenge you and there is nothing you can do. So they are different but the bottom line is, for you to speak to your people for you to be passionate about people in PENGASSAN and because of how passionate I was with my members (those I was given the opportunity to lead) in various stages of our Association where I was before and now, I am in Politics, the experience I got in PENGASSAN has made it easier for me to fit in

Not too long ago, election took place for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, how do you feel about the emergence of Hon Tajudeen Abbas as the Speaker of the House of Representatives?

I was very happy with the outcome. If you come to the Speaker, you will see that he is humility personified and the Deputy Speaker is a perfect gentleman so the combination is just perfect. The Deputy Speaker too is a humble individual as well and he is someone I have grown close to. We went out for an oversight one time and he refused to enter the bus until every other person has entered. And the Speaker himself is just someone that has a heart of gold and is only when you go close that you will really know them. I believe Nigeria is blessed to have them as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives and with what played out in the floor of the House during the election, you will know that he is loved by practically everyone. To have 353 members out of 360 vote for you is not an easy feat to achieve.

How are you going to impact on the lives of the people of your constituency in terms of empowerment and programmes?

I will do something totally different from what it used to be .I am going to focus on the youths and women in my constituency and as long as I am here, I will embark on  programmes and projects that will impact positively on the lives of my people .

Finally Sir, do you subscribe to State police?

This particular issue has been in the front burner in the National discuss for a long time and we have those who are for it and those who are against it and I am a new comer, I am going to take a critical look at it, view it based on the interest of Nigerians. Whatever happens, I will support the right thing.