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Tag: Lalong

  • Lalong: I’m still collating data on Plateau debts

    Lalong: I’m still collating data on Plateau debts

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has said he is still collating records and data from Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) to enable him ascertain the true position of the state’s debts.

    The governor said he inherited an empty treasury and a debt profile of N104 billion, as reflected in the handover note he got from former Governor Jonah Jang.

    But the former governor, through his media aide, Garuba Clinton, said the new government was out to blackmail him by making the debt profile public.

  • Lalong appoints former colleague as SSG

    Lalong appoints former colleague as SSG

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has appointed Mr. Rufus Bature as the Secretary to the Government (SSG).

    Bature was the Minority Leader in the House of Assembly when Lalong was the Speaker between 2001 and 2007.

    Bature, a Berom, was also the Director-General of Lalong Campaign organisation, whose leadership in the campaign team led to the emergence of Lalong as the governor.

    Lalong also appointed Mr. John Dafa’an as the Chief of Staff, Government House while Barr. Yusuf Hawaja as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House.

    In a statement in Jos by the Permanent Secretary, Policy and General Studies, Izam Azi, others also appointed are Mr. Silas Vem as Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Governor’s Office, Prof. John Wade, Director General, Research, Mr. Cyril Tsenyil Accountant-General.

    Also, Mr. Cletus Kangkum is appointed Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, while Mr. Emmanuel Nanle is the Director of Press Affairs.

    The appointments was the first official act since inauguration last week.

  • I inherited empty treasury, N104b debt, says Lalong

    I inherited empty treasury, N104b debt, says Lalong

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has said his predecessor, Jonah Jang, handed over to him an empty treasury.

    He added that the former governor left a debt profile of N104billion, excluding seven months salary arrears.

    Lalong said the debt profile was contained in the handing over note he received from Jang.

    He said the debt profile excluded seven months salary and pension arrears.

    But Jang urged Lalong to stop blackmailing him, saying he should concentrate on serving the people.

    The ex-governor said he left six months salary arrears, not seven as alleged by the new governor.

    Lalong, addressing judiciary workers led by the Chief Judge, Justice Pius Damulak, at the Presidential Lodge, Old Government House, Rayfield, Jos, said: “I found no kobo in the treasury. I only inherited a debt of N104billion, including the non-payment of seven months workers’ salaries and pension arrears as handover note.”

    Damulak decried the poor state of the judiciary, following under-funding by the last administration.

    He enjoined Governor Lalong to regard the judiciary as a key sector.

    Former Governor Jang, who spoke through his media aide, Clinton Garuba, said: “The attention of the ex- governor and Senator-elect Jang has been drawn to a story making the rounds that he left Plateau with a debt profile of N104billion.

    “While it is true that in the handover notes given to the new administration, the debt profile is as made available to reporters, it must be pointed out that the Jang administration did not borrow N104billion as being insinuated in some quarters.

    “The last government only took an external loan of about N18billion with evidence of developmental projects to show for it. “Jang is committed to the development of Plateau State beyond individualism and party affiliations and is committed to work with the Lalong administration in the task of moving Plateau forward.

    “It is in realisation of this that we advise Your Excellency to focus less on trivialities and focus more on improving on our modest achievements, while correcting our perceived mistakes because at the end of your administration, Plateau people will not judge you on the number of accusations and counter- accusations, but on the extent to which you have met their yearnings and aspirations through developmental projects that directly affect their lives.”

  • Lalong appoints ex-colleague as SSG

    Lalong appoints ex-colleague as SSG

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has appointed Mr. Rufus Bature as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    Bature was the Minority Leader in the House of Assembly between 2001 and 2007 when Lalong was the Speaker.

    Bature, a Berom, was also the director-general of Lalong’s governorship campaign.

    The governor appointed Mr. John Dafa’an as the Chief of Staff, Government House. Mr. Yusuf Hawaja was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House.

    According to a statement in Jos by the Permanent Secretary, Policy and General Studies, Izam Azi, others also appointed were Mr. Silas Vem as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Governor’s Office; Prof. John Wade, Director- General, Research; Mr. Cyril Tsenyil, Accountant-General.

    Mr. Cletus Kangkum was appointed as the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor and Mr. Emmanuel Nanle became the Director of Press Affairs.

     

     

  • We are ready for the task ahead, says Lalong

    We are ready for the task ahead, says Lalong

    The Plateau State Governor-elect, Simon Lalong, is not new to politics of the state. After being Speaker of the House of Assembly for six years, he went into a sort of ‘retirement’ from partisan politics. In the April gubernatorial elections he ran on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and won. He speaks with Olayinka Oyegbile, Deputy Editor, on his mission to redirect the politics of the state from its divisiveness and crisis.

    How prepared are you for the tasks ahead?

    When we came into the campaign, we had a manifesto and a blueprint for the people of the state. This is not my first time in government; I’ve been a Speaker of the House for six years and as Speaker I have knowledge of the problems of the state.

    Although in the last eight years it hasn’t been easy for the people of the state because of the kind of governance we had, a divisive one. And so, when we were campaigning, we are also aware of the problems ahead. As politicians, when you come and you have good ideas, you can change the game and implement your ideas. We are not afraid; we are prepared to implement our ideas.

    How would you rate the election that brought you in?

    It was very free and fair, in some places, I’ll like to emphasize. In some places where they refused the use of card readers, it was glaring. During the first election (Presidential); as we were voting, directives came that they should use the manual methods. Some people took advantage of this, those who had protested and went to court that they would not use card readers took advantage of this and went ahead thumb printing voting cards and discarded the card readers. That’s why we lost in some places. The senatorial election is a good example in the northern zone where we lost; they didn’t use the card readers nor followed the rules. When we came to the gubernatorial, it was very clear we were going to use the card readers. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made it clear that this time everybody must use card readers. Still this was flouted in some places where the PDP won and all this are going to be made clear at the tribunal because we have records of those things.

    You know the election was a miracle of God and due to the collective will and decision of the people. For the first time people came together and damned the consequences, insisting that they needed a change. Civil servants, who were threatened, damned the consequences and said they needed a change and they voted for change. They saw lists of problems and they decided to effect a change. But there is a deliberate attempt by the outgoing government to cover their tracks. We said the state is indebted and they said no. We said we are going to inherit debts, they denied it but what do we have today? They went ahead and took a bond; but a bond is also a debt. You took a bond of N28 billion to clear a debt; is it not still a debt? But our committees are working and we’ll come out with our result. They have started employing people; trying to create a booby trap for us from about 8000 workers they have increased the workforce to 9000 in the last two weeks.

    So, what is going to happen to some ongoing projects that would not be completed by the outgoing government? Are you going to complete or abandon them?

    I won’t say I’ll complete all projects. No. We are going to prioritise and pay salaries. Salaries of civil servants are very important. They have to be motivated to work and deliver results. We have to look for money to pay them and after that we look at ongoing projects and then decide what to do with some of them. The projects are for the people of Plateau State and some of them, he (the outgoing governor) believes are good but we’ll take a look at them and decide and we’ll also need to initiate some of our own projects that are in line with our manifestos. We are also not in support of concentrating projects on one side, so we may pick some of them depending on the advice we get from our committee. Some of those projects are what he believes are good for him, but we don’t think so. And as a government of the people we would spread the projects across the state because as they are now they are in favour of only a section of the state. When our committees finish with their works, they’ll make recommendations and we’ll look into it and proceed from there. We have to spread the projects and give our people a sense of belonging. It is their government.

    Considering the importance of Plateau State, how are you going to assure the world and the citizens of security?

    We as a people know where these insecurities are coming from and we intend to address it. The last administration survived on it because they enjoyed it; it is a system of divide and rule. There were divisions among ethnic groups and the government enjoyed it and we intend to change that. There are about 63 ethnic groups in the state and we intend to unite them and make them work for unity. In our campaigns, we stressed that we will get our people united. The outgoing governor was comfortable with the crises and we are going to change that. We are a government of the people and we intend to embark on ethnic reconciliation. You can already see that with our winning some level of confidence is already returning to the people and they are going to places they hitherto don’t go to before. We have started changing the psyche of our people. Crisis benefits no one; it doesn’t encourage investors nor foster peace.

    In terms of security, I’ve already made an appeal to the President-elect, governors are chief security officers in their states and they report to the President; we need cooperation and we are going to do that together. With the change, people are already changing and after inauguration we’ll need to build on this and make sure people embrace our peace plan. We are up to it.

  • Plateau: APC’s Lalong declared winner

    Plateau: APC’s Lalong declared winner

    Barr Simon Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been declared winner of the Plateau State Governorship election.
    He polled 564,895 votes to defeat his closest rival, Senator Gyang Pwajok of Peoples Democratic Party who had 520,572 votes.

  • Lawyers root for Lalong, Abubakar, Tambuwal

    Lawyers root for Lalong, Abubakar, Tambuwal

    Lawyers are drumming up support for their colleagues who will be contesting the governorship election on April 11.

    Among those contesting are Simon  B. Lalong (Plateau State), M. A. Abubakar (Bauchi) and House of Reprsentatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto).

    Leading the call are members of the Arewa Lawyers Forum (ALF), who believe their colleagues would transform the region and bring the much-desired dividends of democracy to  their people.

    They said lawyers have always shown the light in the leadership of their countries for others to follow.

    They cited Bill Clinton of the United States, the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Solomon Lar, Babatunde Fashola (SAN),  Dr. Godswill Akpabio as lawyers who have demonstrated efficient leadership.

    Immediate past Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Second Vice-President Steve Abar, endorsed Abubakar, saying his candidature “is one of the most welcome developments of this year”.

    “His candidature represents a struggle for justice, fairness, equity and good governance on the Plateau. He represents unity, progress,  development and all well meaning citizens of the State ought to rally round him to deliver the divends of democracy to the people.  Abubakar has successfully steered the ship of Arewa Lawyers for the past two years and has, undoubtedly, given a credible and focused leadership.”

    “Looking at the way Tambuwal emerged as the Speaker of the House and how he sustained the leadership of the House in the face of serious pressure, you easily attest to his mastery of politics and I urge the people of Sokoto State to vote massively for him on Saturday. Tambuwal will make a good governor for Sokoto State because he cares for the feelings, the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    ‘’Only victory for our candidates will reposition the north and fast track the socio-economic and political development of the people.

    “The fact that Lalong is contesting for the office of Governor of Plateau State at this time is one of the most welcome developments of this year. His candidature represents a struggle for justice, fairness, equity and good governance on the Plateau. He represents unity, progress,  development and all well meaning citizens of the State ought to rally round him to deliver the divends of democracy to the people.

    “His previous experiences in governance as a Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly places him in a  vantage position to redirect Plateau on the path of true greatness. At this critical time in our nation’s history, Lalong is the way to go for Plateau,” Abar said

    Former Director, Public Prosecutions in Bauchi, Mr. Haruna Dele Mohammed, listed Abubakar’s attributes as good knowledge, attitude, skill and habits.

    He said: “He is well-read in law and administration. Has travelled extensively within and outside the shores of this country all in search of knowledge,  travel in itself they say is education and Knowledge.

    “Good Attitude, calm, calculated, good mind set and above all respect other peoples opinion and advice.His skill are immeasurable, he has a lot of experience in his training and practice as a Lawyer as well as in Administration  He has gathered administrative experience serving in the under listed but not limited capacities: DPP Bauchi State,twice  Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Bauchi State.

    “He was chairman NBA Bauchi and he gave us good and credible leadership. He grew from the ranks, he knows his home state very well, he has always been with the people of Bauchi State and knows  their problems and the need areas. He is a man who matches words with action, he is not dogmatic, he is willing to borrow ideas from sister states, technology etc for the benefit and betterment of the people of the state.

    “I urge the people of Bauchi to come out en masse on Saturday, April 11, 2015, to vote for him, for transparency, accountability, drive, honesty, security and dividends of democracy  for everybody in the state.”

    Matthias Tsuwa, a National Executive Council (NEC) member in Bauchi, said he had known Abubakar since  2001, adding that he is a great achiever.

    “His having won the primary election of our great party, the APC, is really a great feat because he contested the primary with seven others who are no push overs and for him to have surmounted them is a great feat indeed. In fact, knowing the terrain of Bauchi  State very well, I can tell you confidently without any equivocation or shadow of doubt that Abubakar is the Governor of Bauchi State in waiting, the exercise of April 11, 2015 will confer the people’s mandate on him,’’ he said.

    Tsuwa said Abubakar would make a very good governor because he is a seasoned administrator. He said Abubakar worked in the Ministry of Justice, Bauchi and became the Attorney-General of the state between 1990 and 1992, adding that his tenure was very eventful. He turned around the fortunes of the ministry and affected the judiciary of state positively. “He later joined INEC and rose to the position of National Commissioner before he retired and continued with his active private legal practice where he left to join INEC.

    “The people of Bauchi really love him and they have demonstrated this in the rousing welcome he has been receiving from the tumultuous crowds that have turned out to receive him on his campaign tours of the nooks and corners of Bauchi. Also, judging from the past performances of the APC in Bauchi, it is clear that it is the party of choice in the state and Abubakar is only waiting to be sworn in come May 29, 2015,” Tsuwa said.

    Danlami Hassan Garba described Abubakar as competent, disciplined and trust worthy; he is legally minded, respects the rule of law and due process; he is  experienced as one time Commissioner both at state and federal level, he is Incorruptible and humanitarian in nature.  “He is just the person Bauchi people are yearning for, voting Abubakar as the Governor of Bauchi  will bring the change we had hitherto desired in the state. Bauchi will surely be better than ever under the leadership of  Abubakar as a Governor,” Garba said.

    Lalong, former Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly in the Joshua Dariye administration, is seen by many as  humble and has leadership qualities that stand him out as the man for the job. “They see him as the man who has the capacity to step into the big shoes of late Solomon D. Lar because he shares the rofessional calling and idiosyncrasies with the late elder  statesman,’’ a lawyer said.

    Mr. Nankin Bagudu said: “Anybody who loves Plateau and is outside the state, should be back home from Wednesday,  April 8, latest to join in the struggle to free our people from the stranglehold of bad governance.

    “To our people this election is a decisive one, we must be united in the single minded determination to vote for change. We have two options, one will make us second class citizens  and the other  will free us from internal servitude, tribalism and corruption. The rightful candidate is Simon Lalong. Nothing less, nothing else, nothing more. To do otherwise will be to condemn our state, our children and the future generations to two different societies.

    “I believe Simon Lalong is it because he is not an appendage of the current government. He would do things differently and would correct the very many problems that the current government has created for us as a people. He is simple, teachable and ready to work with all manner of people to ensure that there is balanced development in the state.’’

    It was reported that some present and former elected and appointed leaders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau, operating under the auspices of Kice Awareness for Change, have rejected the PDP governorship candidate in the state and adopted the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, Lalong.

    The Kice Awareness for Change members said at a conference in Jos, that the governor was wrong when he anointed his kinsman from Plateau North Senatorial Zone whereas  popular opinion favoured a southern Plateau person as the job.

    “We strongly support and endorse the candidature of Rt.  Hon Lalong and Prof Sunny Tyoden (as governorship candidate and running mate respectively) in the April 11, 2015 general elections. We reject in totality, political imposition or hegemonic local imperialism by a microscopic cabal in Plateau State” Kice said.

    Former chairman, Jos branch of the NBA, Mr. Caleb Dajan, said: ”I believe that Lalong will make a good governor. Every lawyer, by virtue of  his  training is a leader. Most countries that have made a choice of a lawyer as either President or Governor have never regretted it. Examples abound in the  United States, where we have lawyers as presidents and they performed very well. In Nigeria, we have examples of governors Babatunde Fashola (SAN)  of Lagos State, Dr. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and coincidentally,  all of them are my mates at the Nigerian Law School. You have the late Lar of the old Plateau State, who performed very well. I recommend Lalong to the people of Plateau State. He will not disappoint.”

    Former Secretary, NBA Jos branch and a member of the National Executive Committee of (NEC) of the NBA Jim Gotom, said: “Lalong’s record of community service has been remarkable. From his excellent record as national president Gamai youth movement he endeared himself to his people. As speaker Plateau State House of Assembly for two terms, he exhibited uncommon leadership. He resisted the offer to be governor by illegally impeaching former governor Joshua Dariye. That is uncommon principle.”

  • My victory is divine, says Lalong

    Former Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Simon Lalong, has described his victory at the just concluded governorship primaries of the All Progressives Party (APC) in the state as a surprise package from God.

    Addressing delegates after emerging the governorship candidate of the APC in Jos, Lalong thanked the leadership of the party and other contestants who vied for the office with him.

    He said: “I said it earlier that I would support whoever emerged as the party’s flag bearer. I didn’t know that God was going to pick me.”

    Lalong picked the ticket after defeating four other contestants in the party’s primaries held at Crest Hotel Jos.

    He scored 2,222 votes in the election to beat his closest rival, Prof. Emmanuel Garba, who polled 304 votes.

    Declaring the winner shortly after the election, Chairman of the APC Governorship Electoral Committee for the state, Mr Sunny Moniedafe, expressed joy that the primary election was peaceful.

    Moniedafe called on the other aspirants to rally round Lalong in the interest of the party.

    “Time will come when the party will hand over the flag to you. But for now, the result sheet shows that you are the candidate of our great party in Plateau State,” he said.

    An APC stalwart in the state and former Ambassador of Nigeria to Switzerland, Yahaya Kwande, said the party decided to zone the state governorship slot to Plateau South to enable peace to reign in the party.

    Kwande said: “The success of Lalong is a challenge for the people of Plateau State because the people want their next governor to come from Plateau South and now APC has given them someone from Plateau South”

    He urged members of the party to do their best to ensure that the party emerges victorious in the upcoming general elections, adding: “We will do our best to ensure success in 2015.”