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Tag: Lalong

  • Lalong, APC stakeholders beg Tinubu to fill Plateau ministerial slot

    Lalong, APC stakeholders beg Tinubu to fill Plateau ministerial slot

    Sen. Simon Lalong (APC/Plateau South) and All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Plateau have urged President Bola Tinubu to fill the state vacant ministerial slot.

    The stakeholders made the appeal during the APC critical stakeholders meeting in Jos on Monday.

    Lalong, who is the APC leader in the state, said that since he resigned and moved to the Senate over seven months ago, Plateau has no representation in the Federal Executive Council.

    The former governor said that they were all concerned that they have been without a minister for such a long time.

    “It is not fair that Plateau has been without a minister for the past seven months.

    “Whatever is the stumbling block, we want it removed so that we will have a minister because we are entitled to it constitutionally.

    “I know the President is a democrat, and he listens to his people. I am sure, by the time he returns from his trip abroad, he will do something so that we will have a minister,” he said.

    Lalong described the Plateau House of Assembly Speaker’s prolonged failure to inaugurate the remaining six APC members, who won their cases at Appeal Court as unconstitutional and unfortunate.

    The senator, who was a two-term speaker of the assembly, said that he had never seen such an aberration in any state assembly across the country.

    He urged the APC members to push for the inauguration of their colleagues.

    According to him, anyone who refuses to do what is right, tomorrow what is right will not come to him or her.

    Sen. Diket Plang (APC/Plateau Central) assured the stakeholders that National Assembly members on the platform of the party would be very productive.

    Plang said that by so doing, they woo more members for the party.

    He urged the party stakeholders and supporters to unite and win the forthcoming local government elections.

    The Deputy Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly, Madaki Ajiji (APC/Jos East) solicited the support of members to enable the lawmakers succeed.

    Ajiji promised that the APC lawmakers would continue to work for the interest of the state and the party.

  • Senate swears in ex-minister, Lalong as Plateau-South Senator

    Senate swears in ex-minister, Lalong as Plateau-South Senator

    Former Minister of Labour Employment and Productivity, Simon Lalong on Wednesday at plenary took his oath of office and allegiance.

    The administration of Lalong’s oath of allegiance followed his declaration as winner of the Plateau-South Senatorial election by the Appeal Court.

    The Clerk of the Senate, Mr Chinedu Akubueze, administered the oath and allegiance on Lalong.

    Lalong, who now represents Plateau-South in the senate had challenged and filed a petition challenging the declaration of Sen. Napoleon Bali of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Senatorial poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’.

    INEC had declared Bali of the PDP as the winner of the election, while Lalong came second in the Feb. 25 elections.

    But Lalong asked the tribunal to nullify Bali’s election on the grounds that the PDP did not have a proper party structure and, therefore, could not file candidates for the elections.

    The tribunal, in a unanimous judgment read by Justice Muhammad Tukur, said the PDP, having no structure, lacked the right to have taken part in the election.

  • How Tinubu should replace ex-minister, Simon Lalong – APC chieftain

    How Tinubu should replace ex-minister, Simon Lalong – APC chieftain

    Former House of Reps member, Alphonsus Komsol,  has urged President Bola Tinubu to replace former Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong with a new minister from the Plateau Central Senatorial Zone, for equity.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, made the call in an open letter to the president on Sunday, following the resignation of Lalong on Wednesday.

    According to him, his suggestion is informed by the urgent need for the president to address diverse issues that bordered on inclusiveness, geopolitics, ethnic balance, equity, and fairness on the Plateau.

    Komsol was the Secretary, Presidential Campaign Council’s Contact and Mobilisation Committee, North-Central Zone; Plateau Coordinator, Independent Campaign Council for Asiwaju, and Member, APC’s Election Planning and Strategic Committee.

    He said such a decision would determine APC’s success in Plateau.

    “The reason for my selfless suggestion is not far-fetched: It is noteworthy that Lalong is from Plateau South Senatorial Zone, which has produced 6 ministers since 1999.

    He said those ministers were Pauline Tallen (twice), Fidelis Tapgun and his sister, Josephine Tapgun, Solomon Dalung and, lately, Lalong.

    “However, Plateau Central Senatorial Zone has produced just one minister (Bagudu Hirse) since 1999. Paradoxically, this is a zone that usually returns some of the highest votes for the APC in virtually all elections since the formation of our party about 10 years ago.”

    The former lawmaker said that the marginalised central zone had some of the major financiers and biggest founding fathers of the APC, who were also the president’s ‘die-hard’ political supporters and best hands, who the ministerial cap perfectly fit.

    Komsol also said that like Plateau South, Plateau North had produced five ministers since 1999: Damishi Sango, Mark Aku, Musa Izam, Dasuki Nakande and Sarah Ochekpe, who were picked from different ethnic groups within the senatorial zone.

    “I write to you with a deep sense of both passion and compassion, driven by pure patriotism, with a good intent for our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), your government, Plateau State and Nigeria at large.

    “This is especially against the backdrop of your glaring strong will in governance, which has so far in record time, engendered notable reforms across all sectors, including infrastructure and human resource development.

    “To this end, Mr President, I emphatically and unequivocally implore you to kindly do the needful, do your utmost and justice to the raging controversy over the next ministerial slot for Plateau State by giving it to Plateau Central Senatorial Zone.”

    The former lawmaker added that giving the next Plateau ministerial slot to the marginalised central zone would go a long way to strengthen the party and avoid any likely political implosion that could arise, if it is done otherwise.

    Komsol lauded Tinubu for having an ingenuous way of identifying his die-hard political loyalists and rewarding them, as well as having an uncanny ability to mobilise the best minds and strengthen alliances across the country for the common good.

    “You will agree with me that being the president of a country like Nigeria takes a lot of courage and gut, which you must display by listening to the voice of the people.

    “How you deal with diverse issues that border on geopolitics, ethnic balance, equity, and fairness, by carrying everyone along will determine how far you, our party and your government can succeed, going forward,” the APC chieftain added.

    It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal in a recent judgment, declared Lalong winner of Plateau South Senatorial Zone, culminating in his resignation on Wednesday to go to the Senate.

  • NLC Strike: FG appeals for 2 weeks to finalise on demands

    NLC Strike: FG appeals for 2 weeks to finalise on demands

    The Federal Government has appealed for a period of two weeks to finalised on organised labour demands.

    Mr Simon Lalong said this while addressing newsmen at end of a closed door meeting with the Trade Union Congress(TUC) on Monday in Abuja.

    Lalong said the meeting was called to avert the proposed nationwide warning strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    It would be recall that the NLC had said that it would embarked on a two-day nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5 to Sept. 6 over hardship faced the masses due to the removal of fuel subsidy.

    According to reports, the NLC were absent at the meeting called by the minister.

    The Federal Government had earlier appealed to NLC to suspend proposed 2-days warning nationwide strike.

    Also, the TUC in a communique had said the need to embark on strike had not arisen but would allow conversation with government to address grey areas.

    According to Lalong, goverbnment bis going to address those issues within the period of two weeks and come back for further discussion.

    “Some of the issues we discussed are those that are very urgent. There are some that will require a long span of time. This was the basis of our discussion.

    “We agreed that there should be no strike within the two-week period while we are doing our deliberations and working towards realising some of these objectives,” he said.

    Also, Mr Festus Osifo, the President of TUC, said some of the issues requiring urgent attention included implementation of palliatives and wage award.

    He said others are tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers; modalities for N70 billion Small and Medium Enterprises and RTEAN crisis.

    “In the palliatives that were rolled out we have not seen anything put in place for federal workers.

    “We need a wage award. The palliatives rolled out by the government are not far-reaching. We believe that the government can do much more,” he said.

    Osifo also said that the TUC leadership would continue to engage with the federal government to ensure that its demands are addressed.

  • Lalong’s loss of senatorial contest, Plateau’s loss – APC’s spokesman

    Lalong’s loss of senatorial contest, Plateau’s loss – APC’s spokesman

    Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau, Mr Sylvanus Namang, says the defeat of Gov. Simon Lalong at the Feb. 25 National Assembly election is a huge loss to the state.

    Namang told NAN on Saturday in Jos that defeat was not a personal loss of the governor.

    He said if Lalong had been elected, he would have been a ranking member in the Senate having served as Speaker of the Plateau House Assembly for seven years.

    “Those who did this to the governor will regret it because he has nothing to lose. With the emergence of Sen. Bola Tinubu as president, Lalong would have been considered first in considerations for Plateau.

    “They have allowed certain sentiments to overwhelm them and that is not good for us as a state.

    “Lalong was to go the National Assembly as ranking member and as ranking member could have been Senate president or Senate leader, but we have lost everything to sentiments.

    “As far as we are concerned Gov. Lalong’s loss was not a personal loss, but a loss to the entire state,’’ Namang stressed.

    He urged Plateau people to learn to move with the times in order to feature prominently in national politics where there are more gains.

    He urged Plateau people to work for the progress of the state rather than picking on individuals.

    He argued that it would take four years for a greenhorn to understand the workings of the National Assembly.

    The Plateau governor contested for the Plateau South senatorial seat, but was defeated by retired AVM Napoleon Bali of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Bali scored 148,844 votes to Lalong’s 91,674 votes. Lalong is the first two-term governor of Plateau to fail to make it to the Senate.

  • The help Nigerians need lies with me- Tinubu

    The help Nigerians need lies with me- Tinubu

    The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who just returned from a break in the UK, has informed Nigerians that they should “expect that the help they needed is here”.

    Tinubu, on Thursday night, urged Nigerians to avoid buying into the narrative that the country is a failed state.

    This is even as the APC presidential flagbearer affirmed that he felt better after enjoying his 11 days vacation in London, United Kingdom.

    Tinubu made the statement in Abuja shortly after he alighted from his private jet amid wild jubilation from his supporters and some members of his Presidential Campaign Council.

    The former Lagos State governor was warmly received by his running mate, Kashim Shettima; Director General of the PCC, Simon Lalong; his deputy, Adams Oshiomhole, and other party chieftains.

    Addressing journalists amid shouts of ‘Jagaban’ and ‘City Boy’, Tinubu expressed his readiness for the political campaign, saying he felt better.

    He said: “The trip was very good. I enjoyed my break. And I’m happy to be back to my fatherland.

    “And Nigerians should expect a very intelligent ability to think and perform. Nigerians should expect that the help they needed is here, the hope that is almost jittering is back and back actively.

    “And we hold every effort to the country of patriotism, dedication, capacity and ability to do the job. Not negative thinking, not the fact that Nigeria has failed; this country is the greatest.

    “If it is to rebuild, we are builders; if it is construction, we are constructors. If it is assurance, we give Nigerians the assurance that we definitely make a better country out of it all.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Tinubu served as the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and Senator for Lagos West during the brief Third Republic.

    In June 2022, he was chosen as the APC nominee in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.

    Tinubu spent his early life in southwestern Nigeria and later moved to the United States where he studied Accounting at Chicago State University. He returned to Nigeria in the early 1980s and was employed by Mobil Nigeria as an accountant, before entering politics as a Lagos West senatorial candidate in 1992 under the banner of the Social Democratic Party.

    After dictator Sani Abacha dissolved the Senate in 1993, Tinubu became activist campaigning for the return of democracy as a part of the National Democratic Coalition movement.

    Although he was forced into exile in 1994, Tinubu returned after Abacha’s 1998 death triggering the beginning of the transition to the Fourth Republic.

  • BREAKING: Lalong appointed APC presidential Campaign DG, Keyamo as spokesperson

    BREAKING: Lalong appointed APC presidential Campaign DG, Keyamo as spokesperson

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) has announced Plateau Governor, Simon Lalong as Director-General of the party’s presidential campaign for Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.

    APC chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Wednesday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

    The chairman also announced Festus Keyamo as the interim spokesman and Hannatu Musawa as the deputy spokesman.

    Details to follow…

  • Gov. Lalong condemns Sunday killing in Plateau

    Gov. Lalong condemns Sunday killing in Plateau

    Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has condemned the killing of three persons on Sunday in Rafin Bauna community of Bassa Local Government Area of the state.

    The governor’s condemnation of the act is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Jos by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham.

    Lalong said the attack was another callous attempt by the enemies of peace to begin the new year with violence.

    He warned that the state government would resist such attempts with all resources available to it.

    The governor noted that the victims were on their way from Dutsen Kura to Rafin Bauna when they were ambushed and killed by assailants now at large.

    He directed security agencies to arrest the perpetrators and conduct thorough investigation into the incident to ensure that the assailants were arrested and brought to justice.

    Lalong said government was committed to dealing with criminals and their activities, and warned criminals including kidnappers, to leave Plateau as anyone caught and convicted for kidnapping would face death penalty.

    He smpathised with the families of the victims and assured them of justice, adding that government would increase its fight against crimes especially kidnapping which had become a greater threat to peace and security in the state.

  • Gov Lalong lifts curfew in three troubled Plateau LGs

    Gov Lalong lifts curfew in three troubled Plateau LGs

    The Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has directed the total lifting of the curfew in Jos North, Jos South, and Bassa local government areas.

    Governor Lalong gave the new directive after a State Security Council Meeting which was held at the Government House in Jos.

    His order came after the council reviewed the security situation in the affected local government areas and the state in general.

    On the strength of deliberations at the meeting and the advice of the security council, the governor directed that the curfew be lifted with effect from Friday 17th December 2021 until further notice.

    He directed that in place of the curfew, the relevant security agencies should mount well-coordinated and round-the-clock checks in strategic areas of the state to ensure the safety of lives and properties of the people during the Yuletide season.

    He advised the security agencies to ensure that they deploy security personnel across the state and gather requisite intelligence to thwart any attempt by criminals who might want to perpetuate their nefarious activities during the season and cause a breach of the peace.

    Meanwhile, the total ban on motorcycles within the Jos-Bukuru metropolis is still in force while their operations in other local government areas will stop at 8 pm.

    Tricycles within the metropolis will continue to operate on the existing template of 6 am to 6 pm only.

    While commending the citizens for their patience, understanding, and cooperation during the period of the curfew, Lalong urged them to be security-conscious and highly vigilant against any suspected criminal activity in their domains, which should be reported quickly to security agencies to enable them to take swift action.

    He also praised the security agencies for their sacrifices and patriotic service, urging them to continue to do more as the government will do its best to support them in carrying out their mandate of securing lives and properties.

    Earlier in September, the government imposed a curfew from 10 pm to 6 am as part of efforts to curb the insecurity witnessed within the area some months ago.

  • Governor Lalong reveals those behind crisis in Plateau

    Governor Lalong reveals those behind crisis in Plateau

    The Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has accused politicians of fuelling crisis in his state.

    He disclosed this on Tuesday during Day Two of the Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja where participants had gathered to deliberate on the nation’s security, education and politics.

    According to Lalong, the governors of the 19 northern states are in full support of the creation of state police to tackle the numerous security challenges facing their domain.

    He noted that Plateau has long been known as a state of peace and tourism before some political actors started creating problems in the state.

    “Plateau is codenamed the home of peace and tourism. Then all of a sudden, what happened? I will say also that part of it is the role of political actors,” he said.

    “You see people bringing issues like ethnicity, religion-dominated issues, and so we were now beginning to see ourselves as enemies.

    “If I am a Christian, I don’t want a Moslem to come near me or I belong to this tribe, I don’t want that tribe to come in.”

    The governor also faulted successive administrations in the state for capitalising on the situation, rather than finding means to bridge the gap.

    Lalong believes the issue resulted in the killings of several people in the state, noting that the situation made the state government make some recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He lamented that as part of some measures in tackling religious and ethnic violence, some state governors would use resources at their disposal to acquire some technological equipment, which may end up not being used.