In this critical stage in our national history, the fortunes of the nation cannot be entrusted into the hands of vacuous and hypocritical men but those imbued with vision, consistency, integrity and intelligence both at the national and sub- regional levels.
This piece is predicated on the need to debunk the brewing sycophancy employed by some misguided elements in Plateau State to promote the immediate past Governor of Plateau State and the former Director General of the APC and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council, Simon Lalong.
One self-appointed Yakubu Dati, who is on the voyage of ill-motivated interests, recently penned an article entitled “Lalong: Asiwaju’s DG Keeping Faith” where he tried to praised the attributes of the former governor perhaps to enhance his chance of being appointed as Minister in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.
Ordinarily, there is nothing wrong with one praising the efforts of another, but such must be guided by principles and governed by logic especially as the verdict of Lalong’s stewardship in his eight years as governor of Plateau state has been an inexplicable disaster.
Mr. Dati claimed that Lalong possesses the “resourcefulness, wisdom and political wizardry to get the job done”. This statement is an insult to intelligent people and an aberration to sound logic because in the last eight years, Plateau state under Lalong, was bedeviled by insecurity where the former governor watched helplessly as the people were being butchered in virtually all the local governments in the state. Lalong in most cases hardly even condemned the killings let alone take action like his counterparts in other parts of the country who faced similar crisis. There was therefore no political wizardry displayed by Lalong as the author claimed but absolute weakness.
As the Director General of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Lalong boasted that he will deliver Plateau and the entire country to President Tinubu but the whole world has seen how little known Labour Party and its ‘stingy’ Presidential candidate Peter Obi, swept the votes in Plateau making nonsense of Lalong claims.
The Labour Party actually beat him in his polling unit, in his ward and even in his local government. Not only that Lalong also failed to return the APC candidate as governor in the state paving way for the much vilified PDP to reclaim power in the state.
What that meant was that the so called Lalong’s ‘resourcefulness tact and wisdom’ where exaggerated. He does not have these qualities and by so doing destroyed the dictum that charity begins at home. He failed to see the signs ahead and ultimately failed to mobilize the people for Tinubu obviously because of lack of foresight and the influence needed to drive the people to vote his principal.
Mr Dati must accept the fact that Lalong got it wrong in every step he took in Plateau as the economic indicators plummeted under him with reduced investment in the critical sectors of the state making him one of the least performing governors’ of this dispensation. What a sad commentary for a man to whom much was given.
It is instructive to note that he lost tune with the people because apart from his appointees, it is very difficult to see objective people who speak well of Lalong. Apart from his poor performance, Lalong practiced an unprecedented form of nepotism where he only used his relations, in-laws and wife to run the government.
Let me also remind Mr. Dati that Lalong’s tenure witnessed the highest number of those who defected from the ruling APC because of the internal crisis that dogged his failed administration following his inability to carry along those who helped to put him in power in running of his government.
It is on record that Lalong lost almost all his first tenure appointees and appointed new friends who did not help him. Almost all his second term appointees were PDP members like Yakubu Dati who was brought in, to do dirty jobs like this writing now.
Dati claimed that the DG is the live wire of any campaign, but he knows that in the case of Lalong as the DG, that the live wire of the campaign of PCC in general was the campaign secretary. Nobody knows the role Lalong played in coordinating the Asiwaju campaign other than the nominal role of a DG who was always called upon to perform the function of “let’s fulfil all righteousness.”
According to Dati the DG of any campaign of organization identifies likely threats and work out ways to take care of such immediately. However, Yakubu Dati knows that they could not identify the threats and could not work out any ways to take care of those threats as most of the governors who insisted that Lalong should be made DG could not deliver Asiwaju, starting with the real leader of the Northern Governors, the former governor of Kaduna Mallam El-Rufai who dictated to Lalong.
Dati cannot deny the fact that both EL- Rufai and Lalong were behind the aspiration of Rotimi Amaechi’s ambition to become President against Tinubu in 2023. They were never for Tinubu until they were outsmarted at the APC primaries by the Jagaban of Borgu. El-Rufai and Lalong quickly made a hypocritical volte face after trying to hurt Tinubu’s ambition twice.
Lalong only became the campaign DG when the northern governors blackmailed the President to appoint one of them as DG after losing the National Chairmanship, the Presidential ticket and Vice- Presidential ticket. Tinubu was smart to allow them and this has paid off but the truth remains that the President never trusted Lalong again.
Let us put the record straight for Yakubu Dati that Lalong had since lost his reputation with Asiwaju. Remember that Asiwaju in his magnanimity used billions to release Lalong and the others when the late Ibrahim Mantu impeached former Governor Joshua Dariye with 5 members and declared the seats of all members sympathetic to governor Dariye vacant while Lalong was the speaker. Recalled also that the late Mantu removed him and sent them to EFCC because they defected to the then Action Congress (AC).
Lalong and his group want to pay Asiwaju back by dumping Asiwajus AC to return to PDP without any courtesy of letting Asiwaju know why they took that decision when they were chased away by Jang in PDP they left for Labour party in 2009/10 only to return.
The only people left to build Asiwajus AC were Chief Amos Gizo as Chairman of AC in Plateau with late JD Haruna as Gizo’s Deputy. Others include late captain Din as NC chairman and late Senator Silas Janfa. As if that was not enough, during the present dispensation since Asiwaju indicated interest to run for president, Lalong and his foot soldiers were all supporting former Rivers Governor H.E Rotimi Amaechi such that Lalong could not give Asiwaju a chance to visit Plateau to speak to the state delegates only to be seen on national TVs receiving Amaechi on promising Amaechi 100% of Plateau delegate ,all efforts by Asiwaju to get Lalong attention and appointment to come to Plateau was rebuffed by Lalong .
The Tinubu campaign organization had declared zero votes for Plateau but for the grass root politicians and tacticians of the likes of Dr. Amos Gizo, Dame Pauline Tallen, Hon Alphonsus Komsol Former Minister Ibrahim Dasuki and few others who were in contact with the delegation that 40 out of 51 delegates who removed from the Hotel Lalong put the delegates to an unknown hotel where Lalong and his boss Amaechi visited the hotel. There were no delegates and Amaechi was very annoyed with him after collecting so much money for all the 51 delegated.
Amaechi lost woefully In Plateau. If Dr. Amos Gizo, Komsol , Pauline , Dasuki, and others did not do the needful, Plateau would have been blacklisted by Lalong.
Lastly, even as DG, there was no campaign posters per bill boards from the Lalong camp on the Plateau, signs of campaign posters, billboard, banners, were only seen on premises of Dr. Amos Gizo and the ICC campaign office. Since then, till date even the state party secretariat does not have Asiwaju billboard. To crown it all, its on record that the leadership of the party in the state all former Governor Lalong could not deliver the wards of LG to Asiwaju if they are doubting, let them bring the results for a proof. They all did anti party at the presidential election so why would people who did not support Asiwaju at the primaries and general election want to reap where they have not sown? ‘” He personifies the campaign
such that his aura – either positive or negative rubs off on the campaign” Certainly Llaong was negative as he could not deliver so it rubs off negatively.
“Past Governor of Plateau state was the face of the campaign and his aura turned things around for good for the APC Presidential campaign” haba dirty is that why we lost in almost all APC states in the north including Plateau? Turned things around for bad for APC overnight? “Recall that immediately Lalong accepted to be Dg of Tinubu?/Shetimma APC PCC all eyes were on him to see how he could deliver what was tagged a same faith ticket .This is just a propaganda because what effect did it make ?lost in most northern states including Plateau state .
Fiery darts were thanked although DG to the extent that the opposition political elements relocated to his home base to discredit and punish him for the role he played in selling the Tinubu presidency “Yakubu Dirty Lalong is a bad product to market, despite the enormous resources in his disposition he could not even buy votes in his community for his principal. The fact is that even to resurface road to his community he did not. Even good drinking water, rural electricity and other social amenities are absent. The are intimidating house is Lalong’s house, and that of his brothers for eight years he did not change the lives of the people that was why he was rejected and they throw the water with the bath rubber. As former chairman of NGF, he champions the popular advocacy of power shift to the southern candidate after 8 years of Northern Presidency” Yakubu Dirty this was selfish the northern Governors had positioned themselves a potential VPS the northern APC Governors wanted Christian candidate so that they could be picked as V. P’s. Lalong was tagged senate President. Immediately they lost and Asiwaju won Lalong became a bride for VP that too they lost out hence their onslaught to thwart the general elections in their various states. Why did they win governorship weeks after and they could not deliver the president in their states.
“he successfully his alleyed the fears of the same faith ticket resulting in massive harvest of popular votes” the winning votes were not Lalongs . Did he work in Benue or the South-South or on the G five. PDP Governors. this is a lie from Yakubu’s imagination. Please Yakubu what was your Mikang votes? Please reply you lost all the elections in Mikang as Lalongs chief of staff and former commissioners com image maker. Why do you allow Lalong to use you all the times the opposition party. ————————– selfish gains. Yakubu Dirty Lalong got it wrong dont become PDP or party members, find out if Lalong ever involve any of those you ever trying to apportion blame on in this campaign.
Lalong was sunk into the bear of arrogance of power he felt he could go it all alone with few of his ineptitude group all Plateau first eleven APC here outside the football field benched by Lalong who recruited amateur to play the game before he know it each player head received a goal against. Don’t shift blame please.
President Ahmed Tinubu is known for rewarding loyalty and known to acknowledge those that side with him through thick and thin this is time with President Tinubu but did Lalong stick with him through thick and thin with all the betrayals and non-delivery to Asiwaju’s success? All Yakubu dirty is trying to do is out desperation knowing very well that this pay master is seen as the worst DG to the Presidential campaign ever in the history of the present democracy since 1999.
Those who rewarded were based on their delivery of the principal. Yakubu Dirty should know Lalong did worst to Arch. Pam crying who was his campaign DG on the ground that he could not deliver him Barakin Ladi LGA. So if not desperation why is he expecting to reap where he did not sew more unfortunate is that unknown entitles that rode as the goodwill of Lalong to seat at the National Assembly have unwillingly been recruited to undermine Lalong, thereby biting the finger that feed them “Dati, do know that Pauline bought form to the house of Assembly for Lalong, Dariye Catapult Lalong is a bench warmer to be a speaker, Tinubu removed Lalong from prison, Yahaya Kwande helped Lalong,
Atiku gave Lalong money. Dr Godfrey Bawa gave Lalong money and cars, The people of Plateau gave Lalong their mandate freely, taking him from grass to Grace. All these people have been betrayed by Lalong this we know Yakubu Dirty knows
“Asiwaju is fully aware of these characters that are friends at day and enemies at
A perfect description of Lalong who after all Asiwaju did to him he has betrayed him severally. Dirty should know that even by mistake Lalong is the least Plateau people will accept as a representative at the National level.
Asiwaju has started well by getting the confidence of Nigerians through his recent appointments separate across regions and Faith’s it will be a disservice to the people of Plateau of Lalong is pull up to represent the state.
If this happens God forbids there will be wide outcry on the streets of all the LGs of Plateau situation be put straight Lalong is disqualified by Plateau local arraignment which he is a beneficiate The Plateau Senatorial Zones have had their shares of Ministerial appointment like these:
Plateau Northern Zone – 5 times (Sango, Aku, Nakende, Azi and Sarah) while Plateau Central Zone 1 time (Bagudu Horse (Short lived) Southern zone – 5 times Pauline Talle, Tapgwu, and Dariye) it is in the interior of Justice that central zone is the most qualified to produce the next minister, more so that the zone produced the higher votes for the APC with the higher member of elected members.
Yakubu Dati should have been more sensible for the Plateau project which he came from PDP to benefit from than being of mega phone for a porridge
Nigeria Star News 