By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The member representing Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Daniel Amos, has appealed to Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State to allow traditional rulers in the state to attend public functions organized by opposition politicians.
Amos made the call on Wednesday during the presentation of his midterm report and the distribution of empowerment items to constituents, including four tricycles, two trucks of fertilizer, and 3,000 bags of rice.
The lawmaker expressed dismay over what he described as the consistent absence of traditional rulers from opposition events, attributing it to alleged restrictions placed on them by the state government.
“I have chosen to speak this way because the governor is our friend and he has chosen to do things differently. If I must speak for the people of Jema’a and Sanga, and indeed Southern Kaduna, I must say he has communicated well and reached out,” Amos said.
“But when we gather to empower our people, we do so not as ordinary citizens, but as elected representatives. We deserve the same respect and courtesy accorded to any public office holder, including having our traditional rulers grace our events with their blessings.”
He lamented that while traditional rulers attend events organized by local government chairmen without hesitation, they often stay away from programmes held by opposition legislators.
“If a local government chairman was holding this event today, our royal fathers would have arrived early. I don’t see myself as different from a local government chairman—we were both elected by the people and are accountable to them,” he said.
Amos stressed that his empowerment programmes were non-partisan, noting that beneficiaries included members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“When I walked in here yesterday, I saw APC members and we gave them slots because they are our people. At the polling unit level, most voters do not care about party lines—they just want good governance.”
He further disclosed that traditional rulers often privately express regret at not being able to attend opposition events due to fear of sanctions.
“They usually say, ‘Honourable, we’re sorry, we’re not permitted to come.’ The governor must realize that we are also elected to serve, just like others in government. Our royal fathers should not be afraid of being dethroned for showing support or offering prayers at our gatherings,” he added.
On his midterm achievements, Amos reiterated his commitment to fulfilling his campaign promises and improving the welfare of his constituents.
Some beneficiaries of the empowerment programme commended the lawmaker, noting that the support would boost their agricultural productivity and enhance livelihoods.
