By Golok Nanmwa ,Jos

There was wild jubilation, on Sunday , in most part of Jos south , Jos North ,Shendam the country home of Governor Simon Lalong Kanam , Mangu , Qnanpan , Jos East ,Kanke Jos North and other parts of the state , when ,the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC declared the All Progressive Congress APC as the winner of the Governorship election in the state .

Our correspondent reports that the incumbent Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of the 2019 gubernatorial election.

Lalong polled 595, 582 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sen. Jeremiah Useni of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 546, 813 votes.

The declaration came after supplementary elections were conducted in 40 polling units of nine local government areas of the state.

Results from the supplementary election showed the incumbent governor polled 12, 327 votes from the nine local government areas against Useni’s 8, 487 votes.
Returning Officer and the Vice Chancellor of University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Prof. Richard Anande Kimber made the announcements in Jos at the INEC headquarters .

He said “Lalong polled a total of 595, 582 votes to defeat the PDP candidate Useni who scored 546, 813 votes .”

Our correspondent reports that at both the Governorship elections held on March 9th 2019 and the supplementary election held on March 24 ,2019 Lalong, defeated his major rival, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, General Jeremiah Useni (Rtd) .

Speaking on the victory of Gov Lalong , Ayuba Pius from Pankshin local government of Plateau state said , Gov Lalong deserves to be re elected because of the good work ,he has been doing in the state , Lalong has done well in promoting peaceful co existence in the state , Lalong carried every tribe along in governance and is doing well in boosting industrialization , he deserves the victory .
Daily Post Nigeequel to the declaration of Governor Simon Lalong as the winner of the gubernatorial election in Plateau State, the Jigawa State Governor, Muhammad Abubakar Badaru, has described the victory as the defeat of “elite gang-ups”.
Similarly the Jigawa state governor, Muhammad Abubakar Badaru, described the victory of Governor Simon Lalong, as the defeat of an elite ‘gang up’. He said Lalong would always win in an election because he is loved by the electorate against the imagination of the elite who gang up against him .
He equally said Lalong won the re-run because of his high performance and his love for the electorate, who decided to reward him with a second term.

Badaru disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Lalong Campaign office, in Jos the State Capital.

Meanwhile their was jublication at the headquarters of the campaign office of Governor Lalong at early hours of Sunday morning while the news started filtering out that their Governor whom they hold in high esteem because of his leadership qualities has been re elected .
A supporter of Lalong and stalwart of the APC in Plateau Alhaji Nagelu Garba who spoke to our correspondent about the Victory of Lalong thanked the people of the state for the support shown to Gov Lalong .

He said ” I was confident that the APC would coast to victory at the supplementary elections because of the good works Gov Simon Lalong has done in Plateau .”

The people of Plateau people are behind Lalong , ,Nagelu added .

He also said Lalong would continue to provide more dividends of democracy to people of the state .

It could be recalled that before the supplementary elections , several groups had endorsed the candidacy of Gov Lalong ,
Also 52 political parties which earlier endorsed the candidature of the All Progressive Congress APC, Simon Lalong reiterated their support to the incumbent governor.

The party chieftains through their leader, chairman of the African Peoples Alliance (APA) Maula Ahmed Maigari in a press statement made available to newsmen in Jos had drummed their support for Gov Lalong , they said that they are optimistic that governor Lalong will be returned into his office as governor .

According to the group, governor Lalong is awaiting swearing in for the second term as governor “with God on outside and our support, victory is assured, we hereby say congratulations in advance Mr. Governor.” It stressed.

The statement had then called on Plateau electorates to vote for the incumbent governor “we chairmen of the 52 political parties who earlier endorsed Governor Simon Lalong’s candidature are again calling on Plateau citizens, particularly electorates in all the local government areas where supplementary elections shall be conducted this Saturday 23rd March 2019 to turnout emass and massively vote for Simon Lalong, the APC candidate to become governor.”

The press text stressed further that “we therefore want to use this opportunity and call on our teaming supporters across the 17 local government areas to vote for the APC candidate, Rt Hon Dr. Simon Lalong.”

The group also advocated for a peaceful and fair supplementary elections in the state “we equally urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and it staff to conduct a fee, fair and credible election.”

Speaking after been declared winner in a press conference in Jos , Gov Lalong said on the 11th April, 2015 during the gubernatorial election, you came out enthusiastically and voted me as Executive Governor of Plateau State under the Platform of our great Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Taking on this mantle of leadership marked a significant milestone in our political and democratic journey as a people. It was also with a clarion call on us to deliver dividends of democracy along the 5-point Policy Thrusts that we had presented.
, four years down the lane, without prejudice to the just concluded re-run elections of 23rd March 2019, and the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), you once again came out en-masse and voted us to serve a second and final term as Executive Governor of the State, together with my Deputy, Professor Sonni G. Tyoden.
With gratitude to God Almighty, on behalf of myself and the Deputy Governor, I sincerely thank you all. We whole-heartedly accept this mandate to serve for a second and final term with all the humility it deserves. Above all, we accept this mandate by equally soliciting your usual cooperation and partnership as we strive to sustain the execution of our mandate.
The outcome of the exercise in the State was clearly an amazing show of confidence and trust. It was also referendum on our most cherished principles of Unity and Peace as well as affirmation of the desire to move to the Next Level.
Let me use this opportunity to urge my fellow citizens to regard this victory at the polls as victory for the whole of Plateau, with no victor, no vanquished. We had a dream, which we collectively and tirelessly worked towards achieving it and succeeded. To me, this victory is a mark of honour and clarion call for consolidation of our gains and the sustainable peaceful coexistence for the good of the State. Together, we will do more. I urge all citizens to celebrate in harmony with even the opposition without harassment, intimidation and provocative statements against any person or group.

To my fellow Contestants, who not only participated in the historic Gubernatorial Debate, prior to the elections and also contested with me, I wish to congratulate you for your matured conduct during and after our electioneering campaigns. I also extend my hands of friendship and urge you to share in the patriotic zeal of building a virile Plateau so that we can bequeath a positive and lasting legacy for the younger generations.

He further said that ” i equally extend my congratulations and hands of friendship to the newly elected and returned members of the Plateau State House of Assembly and indeed the National Assembly. I look forward to a mutually beneficial and more robust working relationship with all of you.
I pledge that government will continue to cooperate with the Honourable Members-Elect at all times
Meanwhile a Youth activist in Plateau Comrade Pius Hoomen has congratulated the Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong for his victory at the polls
Hoomen further thanked the people of the state for voting Governor Lalong saying that he is confident that Lalong would continue to provide more dividends of democracy to people of the state .
Hoomen in a statement signed by him and made available to newsmen stated that the good people of Plateau State have spoken their minds by coming out in large numbers to return Governor Lalong back to complete the good work he has started for the state.
According to him, “the government of Lalong will not take for granted the confidence the people have reposed in him, as a workaholic person, he will definitely take the state to the next level.
“Lalong,s victory will ensure peace, harmony, tolerance, togetherness .

“His victory will ensure taking action, getting results and working for the people of Plateau State. Also ensuring people oriented projects and programmes that will impact on the lives of the people”.

He added that, Lalong, s victory will build a robust economy that will attract investors and moving the state to an enviable height of next level glory.
Marcas Bulus a PDP supporter who spoke to our correspondent said Governor Simon Lalong of the All Progressive Congress APC would have a smooth ride in the 2019 elections because my party presented an elder man as candidate
“, My party the People Democratic Party also suffer a great setback in the 2019 election as a result of the allegation of inbalance
Also age is a disadvantage to Useni “
He also said Senator JT Useni is from Taroh ethnic stock in Langtang north local government council of the state, the member representing Langtang north/ Langtang South federal constituency and PDP flag bearer Hon. Beni Lar is also from Langtang North.
Similarly Barrister Peter Dandam Kefas the flagbear of the party for the Plateau South Senatorial zone is also tarok .
The trio are all from Tarok ethnic stock in the state and more over Useni has done poorly as a senator .

Marcus who also spoke to our correspondent said Useni is not marketable because of his poor performance in the National Assembly in the past three years and his choice of deputy Governor
Useni made the wrong choice in selecting a deputy who is not popular and also a member from the COCIN church which Useni is also a member ,the COCIN /COCIN ticket would not sell in Plateau.
He said The Catholic Vs COCIN criteria to which history seem to prove this theory right is key in Plateau politics
“As from 1999 to 20017 when Dariye was the governor his deputy Botmang was a catholic, Jonah Jang (cocin) his deputy Paulin Tallen (Catholic) Longjan (Catholic), Lalong ( Catholic) his deputy- Tyoden (COCIN

Meanwhile the Plateau state Civil Society Organisations and Coalition of Domestic Observers in the state on Monday said the supplementary Gubernatorial Election in the state was peaceful and orderly .

“We adjudged Plateau state to be the most peaceful and orderly state in Nigeria during the 2019 general elections” ,
Addressing newsmen in Jos ,the spokesman of the group Godwin Okoko said we observed the elections across the nine local government areas where the supplementary elections were held and our members stationed in all the 40 polling units where the elections were held and in the 12 Registration Areas Centers RACs and local government areas results collation center .

” As a group we observed that the early arrival of security personnel , their was early commencement of accreditation and voting by eligible voters , smart card readers in all polling units visited and from our stationed observers .,
Counting and coalition of results were done transparently ,peacefully and orderly and final results were pasted on the walls / designated areas in the polling units visited and where we had stationed observers .,there were also heavy presence of security personnel and less presence of armed soliders “.
“There was also improve turnout of women eligible voters in most polling units “
“We appeal to all winners in the 2019 general elections especially in Plateau to be magnanimous in victory towards ensuring a better , greater secured , peaceful and develop Nigeria , we call on eligible voters to participate in future elections and all other form of electoral process , “We call on all elected to ensure the provision of good governance and democratic dividends and for those dissatisfied with the outcome of election results to follow peaceful legal and constitutional means to seek redress .”

The group further called on INEC to immediately commence all processes of improving the electoral processes .”

We commend the good people of Plateau state , we commend the state government for providing peaceful enabling environments for peaceful conducts of the elections .”
The observers commend the good people of Plateau ,residents and eligible voters for conducting themselves peacefully and orderly during the supplementary elections .

“We appeal to the Plateau state government to ensure the strengthening of peace and security structures in the states through the promotion of peace and strengthening of community cohesion structures provision of good governance inclusive participation , accountability , increase youth empowerment programmes , employment opportunities and youth / women empowerment .”
“We also appeal to the Governor elect Barrister Simon Lalong as a leader of the state to begin the healing of wounds ,closing of gaps , division and polarization through the processes of reconciliation irrespective of party affiliation , we also encourage all good sons and daughters of the state to give a supportive hand to the Governor elect towards a stronger ,developed peaceful and united Plateau state

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Plateau Polls – How Gov Lalong,s good works earned him a second term