Lalong raises campaign issues

Muhammad Tanko Shittu in this piece writes on the issues raised by the All Progressives Congress during the flag off of Governor Simon Lalong reelection bid.

The flag off

Since the start of campaigns for the general elections, serious politicking has gained momentum going by the current zonal and state by state rallies being organized by the major political parties. Plateau state has not been left out. The ruling All Progressives Congress recently organised one of such rallies at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos. It was attended by many bigwigs of the APC both within and outside the state.

The rally, which was actually the flag of the governorship campaign of Governor Simon Bako Lalong, was witnessed by mammoth crowd that came out to demonstrate their love and affection for his administration as well as listen to what he would do for them, if re-elected on March 2.

Although the flag off was specifically to hand over the APC’s flag to Lalong as the ticket bearer of the party in the forthcoming governorship exercise, it attracted a high profile of personalities from the National Working Committee and members of the presidential campaign council.

The NWC members were led to the occasion by the APC national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Leading the charge from another front was the President Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation director-general, Rotimi Amaechi, as well as the wife of the president, First Lady Hayija Aisha Buhari, who was however represented by former Deputy Governor of Plateau state, Dame Pauline Tallen, Senator George Akume, among others.

Why Lalong should be reelected

First to speak among the hierarchy politicians was, Sen. George Akume, who spoke in specification to the issue of good governance and environmental.

Senator Akume first commended Governor Lalong for keeping Jos city clean. He said same standard of cleanliness cannot be said about Makurdi, the Benue state capital and promised to invite his state governor Dr Samuel Ortom to borrow a leaf from Lalong.

“Makurdi, the capital city of Benue State, is the dirtiest capital in the country. I will bring my state governor to come to Plateau state to take lesson on cleanliness.”

Akume said with the developmental strides of Governor Lalong are obvious across the state. “It is doubtful if someone like Lalong will be rejected by the people”, he said urging plateau electorate to reelect Lalong. “He is qualified to be returned as governor. So protect his return with your PVCs so that you can vote for the next level.”

Speaking through Dame Paulie Tallen, the wife of the president Hajiya Aisha Buhari said the large crowd that gathered to witness the flag off of the governor’s reelection rally clearly showed his acceptance and the love the people have for the APC. Mrs Buhari said Plateau state was on top of her list, “especially the women and the youths.”

“The APC is the only party that will solve the problems of and wipe the tears of Nigerians away. We are here to celebrate our achievements of three and half years as we move to the next level.”

According to her, they were in the state to appreciate the people for not disappointing Buhari in 2015 as well and solicit for another support for Buhari, Lalong and all the candidates of the APC.

Issues

The presidential campaign DG, Amaechi, and national chairman, Oshiomhole, reminded the people of the need to listen to only campaigns based on issues. “The campaign should be issue-based, there should be no abuse,” Amaechi said. He urged the people to rally round the APC to keep away the PDP from power the same way they had helped the party to sweep away the 16-year rule of the PDP. The former governor of Rivers state said the people should never forget that the PDP was responsible for all the rot in the country.

“They are telling Nigerians, that Nigerians are hungry, if indeed Nigerians are hungry, if these people had left the money that they had stolen will Nigerians be hungry?,” he asked. He further tasked Nigerians to: “hold them (PDP) responsible for what is going on now, because they did not govern the country well.”

He, therefore, appealed to the people to vote and ensure they stay behind to protect their votes. “It is then that the PDP will know that the election is between the poor and the rich. The PDP is the party for the rich and the APC is the party for the poor. So don’t allow the thieves to buy your vote, don’t allow them to steal you votes.”

Amaechi praised Lalong for his humility and for living up to his promises, saying that people should vote him back to power to allow complete the transformation of the state.

According to him, the men in the PDP are not honest, stating that the PDP has the capacity to steal public funds, while the leaders of the APC were honest persons who are rendering selfless service to the people.

“The key to good governance is to let the people address poverty by themselves. To do that, you must address human capital development, build schools, get the children of the poor man to go to school.

“The reason why there is insecurity today is that the rich men in the PDP had carted away with the money meant for the poor. For 16 years they failed to give us railway lines, but we have awarded contract for the construction of railway lines from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, it will pass through Jos, Lafia, Gombe.”

He said the PDP led administration had left Nigerians in darkness for 16 years and that the APC federal government inherited 3,000 megawatts. “But today, we have 7,000 megawatts in just three and half years.”

Oshiomhole, on his part, said President Buhari should make former President Obasanjo to explain how he spent the oil boom funds, and that he should reopen the National Assembly enquiry into the expenditure on power.

“There is no reason why Nigerians should vote Atiku Abubakar of the PDP because he will put the country on sale.

“Atiku has said he will put Nigeria on sale. He said he will sell the NNPC. You know he presided over the liquidation of the Nigeria Airways, but they did not pay the workers their gratuities and pensions. He wants to do same to the NNPC, he wants to sell Nigeria’s crude oil. Will you support Nigeria to be sold,” he asked?

Therefore, he urged the Plateau electorate to support the reelection of President Buhari, and Governor Lalong in the general elections.

When Lalong eventually had his turn to speak, he said there was no opposition in the state, saying the PDP is a dead party. “In Plateau state I know that we have Buhari as a candidate, do we have any other presidential candidate?

“We are told that we are contesting election with somebody, and I said I am not contesting election with any man, but I was told that I was contesting with a boy,” he said boasting that the election is a foregone conclusion.

51 parties endorsed Lalong

At the event, no fewer than 51 opposition political parties in the state endorsed the reelection Lalong.

The parties’ chairmen under the aegis of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Plateau State chapter, led by the IPAC deputy chairman who is also the chairman of the KOWA party, declared their support for the governor.

The IPAC deputy chairman, Salihu Abdullah, who spoke on behalf of all the chairmen, said they all decided to endorse Lalong so that he will continue with the good work he has been doing in the State.

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