By Yakubu Dati
As Gov Simon Lalong is making efforts to bequeath a peaceful and secured state with a thriving economy and joyous citizenry to his successor, it appears that some are not happy with the success the Governor has attained in uniting not just the people of his state but the entire country and are trying to poison the minds of the unsuspecting towards him.
This is a governor that for the eight years he has been in the saddle, transformed the once crises-ridden state to experience peace and security so much so that the people have forgotten the agony and angst of the past and have come to appreciate what it means when people say ‘meaningful development can only take place in an atmosphere of peace.’
It is that quest for peace that the Governor extrapolated when he accepted to serve as the Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council at a time when the country was about to be polarized along religious lines and staked out his neck for the unity of Nigeria.
At the time Lalong accepted to serve as the DG, some people were already threatening fire and brimstone promising to divide the country along religious lines simply because they were not considered as running mate to the APC presidential candidate.
But Lalong, who was eminently qualified for the VP candidate position as the only APC Christian governor in the North and chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, did not prioritise self interest but took into consideration national cohesion and integration and submitted himself to serve as that adhesive layer to bind all the religions together for the greater good of the country.
And as he envisaged, despite the sabre rattling and name callings, the APC and its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, won the election and today, many who were persuaded by Lalong’s presence in the APC to keep faith with the party, can now proudly say, irrespective of religious beliefs that the next administration is going to be for all.
It is unfortunate that some political leaders in his home state, could not see the bigger picture but resorted to using religious sentiments in the bid to destroy his legacies and to pit him against the unsuspecting public.
In spite of all that, Lalong has triumphed by delivering the APC thereby bringing Plateau into the main stream of national politics!
Few days to the end of his peaceful tenure, Gov Lalong has again made history as the only governor of Plateau state to attend the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) organized Workers’ Day rally where he received a standing ovation from workers despite the attempt to embarrass him by those who have sworn not to see anything good about his administration.
One of the speakers at the May Day event was Prof Pam Dung Sha of the National Institute of Strategic Studies Studies (NIPSS) who, rather than speak with facts as expected of a scholar, embarrassed his calling by playing the ethnic card, in total violation of academic ethics and in total disregard to what the revered institute stands for.
Without subjecting his paper to research, the Professor brought down the image of the NIPSS with what he presented at the event which could best be described as a hastily contrived mish mash of jaundiced canards meant to instigate the crowd but which failed woefully to achieve that aim falling rather like a pack of cards!
One thing no naysayer cannot take away from Lalong is the fact that the workers in Nigeria love and appreciate him.
That is why the national body of NLC and TUC on recommendation of the Plateau State chapter had honored Gov Simon Lalong with an award, for his commitment to improving the plight of workers.
They’ve honoured the Governor because of his demonstrated commitment to improving the welfare and living standard of workers as one of the few governors to clear inherited backlogs salaries, gratuities and allowances owed by their predecessors.
His Rescue Administration also payed all arrears owed local government staff and teachers left by Prof Sha’s kinsman, Gov Jonah Jang which earned Gov Lalong the sobriquet, “Governor Alert.”
If Prof Sha had done a little bit of research, he would have saved himself the humiliation of trying to disparage a governor who the workers love so much and would not have been surprised when they converted the march pass to a carnival were they danced and celebrated to the consternation of the Professor who could not hide his discomfort.
Plateau State Head of Service, Sunday Hyat Mni did a better job when in his speech, he corroborated what the Chairman of NLC and TUC said by confirming that Plateau Workers have been benefiting from the N30,000 Minimum wage more than a year ago, reaffirming that Gov Lalong’s legacy of verifiable committed sacrifice to workers welfare cannot be trivialized by the whims of a professor blinded by sentiments.
It is undeniable that Gov Lalong has displayed passion and commitment to the education sector by the construction and rehabilitation of over 3,000 classrooms spanning the length and breath of the state.
He has employed over 500 teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and worked with Federal Legislators to establish and upgrade Federal institutions including Federal Polytechnic in Nyak, conversion of FCE Pankshin to a University and quietly reopened the Plateau State University (PLASU) Bokkos with accreditation of about 20 courses.
Not relenting, he initiated and funded the ongoing construction of world class primary and secondary schools under the Lalong Legacy projects across the state.
In the health sector, Gov Lalong has attracted the establishment of Federal Medical centre Wase through strategic partnerships with Federal Lawmakers, notablthe Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase.
He initiated and established 10 hospitals across the local government areas under the Lalong Legacy Project and enabled the accreditation of courses in tertiary institutions including the School of Nursing Zawan, College of Agriculture, Garkawa and School of Preminary Studies, Kurgwi.
With these glaring evidences of forthrightness and vision it is bewildering how anyone could think of trying to denigrate Gov Lalong.
It is pertinent at this juncture to call on the Director General of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, to call his Professor of Research to order in the bid to save this national edifice under his watch from being used as linchpin to cast aspersions on respected leaders of our time.
Hon Yakubu Dati, FNIPR contributed this piece from Jos, Plateau State.
