From Teryima Ajijah, Jos
The embattled Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Area, in Plateau state, Joshua Laven has said the Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong should be held responsible by staff of the local government over delay in payment of their monthly salaries.
Mr Laven stated this in Jos, on Saturday while briefing journalists on the effort he has made towards payment of salaries of local government workers in his council, to no avail, due to frozen council account by the state government.
According to him, the Plateau State government has frozen the account of the local government, preventing him from paying salaries as at when due.
The council chairman told journalists that he had gone to court, sought legal redress over freezing of the local government account by Governor Lalong, however, the governor has refused to abide by the court injunction obtained from the court, which gave permission for him to operate the council account and pay salaries.
Speaking on other travails as council chairman, Mr Laven alleged that the administration of Governor Lalong has refused to recognize him as the legitimate council chairman, just because he is of the opposition political party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“I have explored all legal means to secure my election, but the governor and the state attorney general are bent on doing injustice to me, they have refused me into office since June this year, (2022) when the judgment was passed,” he lamented.
He alleged that his life and that of his political associate, who is a PDP serving Member, House of Representatives for Langtang North/South Federal Constituency are under threat by suspected hired assassins.
According to him, hired assassins are on his trail. “My life is at stake. Assassins are after me (Joshua Laven) and Hon Beni Lar. There are plans that, they will kidnap me (Laven) during campaigns and possibly kill me, I’m aware of the plot,” Laven stated.