Thousands of residents from Tola Community in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa State staged a peaceful protest on Thursday, demanding the reinstatement of the name of the newly created Tola District.
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Leading the protest in Tola town, Hon. Ahmadu Ali Tola commended Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s administration for the creation of 83 new districts, including Tola District.
However, he expressed dismay over alleged attempts by some individuals from the defunct Binyeri District to manipulate the process by pushing for a name change for Tola District.
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Hon. Ali explained that the Tola community mobilized promptly after the state government announced an open call for interested communities to submit requests for new districts.
The application period ran from November 11 to November 21, 2024, and the Tola community complied, resulting in the district’s approval.
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He lamented the sudden omission of Tola’s name from the list of new districts, describing it as a deliberate move by vested interests to undermine the community.
This prompted the community to file a formal complaint with the Adamawa State House of Assembly and the Adamawa Emirate Council.
“The omission of Tola’s name from the newly established districts by Governor Fintiri’s administration is a grave injustice. We call on the government and the Adamawa Emirate Council to correct this anomaly,” Hon. Ali stated.
Madam Catherine Ishaya and Hon. Aliyu Gangwi also urged the authorities to reinstate the name of Tola District and appoint an Acting District Head.
They applauded the government for creating the new districts, noting that the development would bring governance closer to the people and enhance community security.
“Tola is a peaceful community. We appeal to the authorities to rectify this mistake caused by individuals seeking to create unnecessary conflicts,” Madam Ishaya said.
The protesters expressed disappointment that the Adamawa Emirate Council recently announced the names of 32 Acting District Heads for the 34 new districts, excluding Tola.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by Kabiru Bakari, the Acting Secretary of the Adamawa Emirate Council.
Our Correspondent reports that, in response, a delegation led by Hon. Ahmadu Ali Yola reported the community’s grievances to the Adamawa State House of Assembly, the Adamawa Emirate Council, and the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The delegation was received by Hon. Usman Marafa, Special Adviser to Governor Fintiri on Chieftaincy Affairs, who assured them that the government would address the issue to ensure justice and fairness.
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