News
2023: Lalong denied endorsing any APC aspirant in Plateau State
Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong says he has not endorsed or anointed any candidate for Governorship or any political office in the forth coming general elections.
Governor Lalong who spoke on Monday night while addressing APC stakeholders meeting in Jos, made the clarification over unconfirmed insinuations that he has anointed a successor and also endorsed other aspirants contesting for various offices.
Lalong said: “I have not adopted or anointed any aspirant for Governor or any other office. While very suitable members of our party have indicated interest to vie for different offices, we are carrying out consultations with all key stakeholders to ensure that at the end of the day, the best persons emerge to fly our party’s flag. When such time comes, we will make it public and not hide it. I am praying that God will guide all of us to make a choice that is in the best interest of the people and our State and nation”.
Lalong also said the party will continue to encourage members to build consensus from the grassroots and build healthy competition among aspirants and thier supporters before, during and after the elections.
He said although all the aspirants will be given a level playing field to test their popularity and acceptance, at the end of the day the will of the majority will prevail while only one person will emerge for any office.
The Governor also cautioned against negative campaign and use of foul language by aspirants and thier supporters, saying such could end up being counter productive for the APC as the opposition will use it to discredit the party at the general elections.
On the dateline for public sevants and appointees seeking elections to resign, Lalong gave up till the end of this week for those yet to comply to do so in order not to fall foul of the new electoral law.
Lalong also thanked the APC members for their support and sacrifices particularly during the last bye elections which the party won one and lost one, urging that they should close ranks to ensure victory in the forthcoming bye elections for Bassa and Jos East State Constituencies.
He assured that the ongoing projects such as the British America Flyover, Legacy Projects and the Jos main market billed to commence soon will be completed before the end of this administration.
Also speaking, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Idris Wase charged members of the APC in Plateau State to come together and work in unity for the success of the party at the Local, State and national levels.
He admonished the party faithful to continue to support Governor Lalong who is the leader of APC in Plateau State particularly towards ensuring that a smooth succession plan is attained where APC will retain the Governorship and win more seats at the State and Federal Levels.
The Deputy Speaker advised all the aspirants for various offices not to be desperate as power comes from God alone.
Speaker Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda urged members of the party to close ranks and avoid divisive tendencies that will cost the party electoral victories.
Chairman of the APC in Plateau State Hon. Rufus Bature said the party has mapped out strategies for more electoral victories as well as reconciliation.
He also announced that the party office will soon move to Kalwa House from its present location where members will have more room for the party’s activities.
The ALGON and Elders Forum also gave goodwill messages where they assured of their continuous loyalty to the party.
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed disappointment over the declaration of State of emergency in Rivers State, saying it discredits Nigeria’s image.
The declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara packing for six months, while the elected members of the State House of Assembly have also been suspended.
Jonathan stated this while speaking as the Chairman at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday.
He said elected officials have been removed from office in a very disappointing manner.
Contrary to Jonathan’s view however, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, expressed support for Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
The party said no responsible government will allow a situation to deteriorate before taking decisive action in the best interest of its citizens.
NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, told newsmen: “President Tinubu is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria.
“The information available to him as president from intelligence sources may not be in the public purview.
“The government in Rivers was suspended and no one can actually say what would have happened by now, judging from the deepening crisis.
“The crisis was further compounded by some leaders who, instead of offering advice or promoting peace during the turmoil, allowed it to escalate before later stepping in to criticize.”
But for President Jonathan, “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light.”
He said it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on issues, so as not to heat up the polity.
However, Jonathan said, his comment became necessary after calls from many Nigerians, urging him to speak on the events in Rivers State.
He added that the image of the country and how much investments a country attracts is dependent on the actions of the executive, legislature and judiciary of that country.
Goodluck Jonathan faulted the situation where an individual can dictate to the judiciary, noting that it makes it difficult for anyone to have faith in the judiciary.
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