By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – The Plateau Peace Building Agency, PPBA has urged political gladiators; and citizens not to overheat the polity through unguarded utterances, posting fake election results and toxic narratives on social media; as such have adverse consequences on the outcome of the civic exercise.

The Director-General of the Agency, Joseph Lengmang at a media parley with journalists at his office in Jos on Tuesday said there is a need for citizens to maintain the peace experienced before and after the elections in the State.

Speaking through the Agency’s Director of Administration, Timothy Gayi called on the citizenry to “guard the peace being enjoyed in the State jealously and not allow political disputes mar the many gains recorded in the last few years.”

He highlighted some recent achievements recorded by the Agency as he noted, “The Agency has used the Pocket Guide it developed in curbing conflict between farmers and herders. The Agency also developed a manual for the establishment of Peace Clubs in primary and secondary schools and the Training of Trainers (Teachers) across the three Senatorial Districts of Plateau State.

“PPBA has decentralized its activities through the engagement of Security and Peace Desk Officers in all the 17 Local Government Areas with particular emphasis on the six PEACECORE Project locations. The monthly Community Peace Architecture Forum (CPAF) initiated a call for the local authorities (LGCs) to take ownership of the platform to ensure sustainability and consolidation of the many gains achieved thus far.”

The Agency frowned at “the use of thugs to disrupt collation and announcement of election results as witnessed at the Jos North Collation Center where hoodlums disrupted the process on Monday, February 27, 2023,” and called that stakeholders should not overheat the polity through unguarded utterances.