Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has begun his re-election campaign in Jos, the capital. His media aide, Mark Longyen highlights his achievements and justification for his second term bid.

Plateau State Governor  Simon Bako Lalong has kickeds off his campaign for re-election. Last Friday’s event, which witnessed a huge turnout in the history of electioneering campaigns, attracted dignitaries from all walks of life.  Prominent among them were the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Benue State Governor George Akume, and former Plateau State Deputy Governor Pauline Tallen, who represented the First Lady, A’isha Buhari. The Rwang Pam Stadium was filled to capacity.

The event also witnessed the defection of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. The defectors included Ambassador Chris Giwa and Alhaji Abubakar Dashe, who were loyalists of PDP stalwart and former Governor Jonah Jang. With this development, the governor’s deft strategy is a political masterstroke which has paid off and succeeded in depleting the camp of the opposition. Lalong admitted this much when in his remark, saying that he had no opponent for the election since the main opposition candidate was not a man but merely a “Boy”.

Lalong’s re-election bid is significant in so many ways. Nearly four years down the line since his assumption of office, he has fulfilled the promises he made during the 2014/2015 campaigns. Indeed, the crowd that thronged the stadium, which comprised enthusiastic APC supporters, artisans, the disabled community, civil servants, labor leaders, road transport workers, and other political parties, among others, was no doubt a clear indication of the people’s immense love and massive support for the governor. It is also an indication of what to expect in the forthcoming elections.

It goes without saying that one good turn deserves another. This, therefore, follows that one good tenure deserves another. There is no denying the fact that Lalong’s scorecard in his first tenure, which cuts across all sectors is impressive. A second term is necessary so as to consolidate on the achievements.

South African cleric and anti-Apartheid crusader, Bishop Desmond Tutu, had Lalong in mind when he said: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world!” In less than four years, Lalong has done the best that he could for the people of the state. He has paid his political dues to gain the people’s goodwill, as well as warrant and guarantee for him another tenure of office.

Lalong’s experience as the longest-serving Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly for about seven years from 2000-2006 had, by and large, evidently exposed him to the rudiments of politics and striking the needed balance to manage diverse group interests in the state.  He  brought this to bear on his governance style in the state. Lalongs’s inclusive style of governance that carries along all the ethnic nationalities domiciled within the state’s geographical confines coupled with his courageous deployment of the spirit of give and take, no doubt, paid off as this engendered peace and harmony among them.

A very meticulous politician who knows his onions, the governor constantly and constructively engages with the federal government on all matters of interest to the people of the state. This culminated in the establishment of a Nigerian Airforce (NAF) 220 Base for Search and Rescue Operations in Kerang, Mangu Local Government Area, as well as the establishment of two Mobile Police Force Barracks at Longvel, Shendam LGA and Gashish, Barkin Ladi LGA to deal with isolated cases of insecurity in the state. This has also helped immensely in the recent return of many Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs spread across different camps in the state back to their ancestral homes, who were displaced as a result of crises.

Also, disturbed by the litany of crises, which he inherited from the immediate past administration of the then ruling People’s Democratic Party, the governor established the Plateau State Peace Building Agency, PPBA, which provides a proactive platform for constant dialogues amongst the state’s heterogeneous communities and religious groups. The agency holds periodic consultative dialogue with traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups, women and youth groups. PPBA can be said to have succeeded to a large extent in dousing tensions and preventing conflicts among ethnic and religious communities, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the near failed state which Lalong inherited.

Indeed, Lalong’s emergence as his party’s flag bearer in 2014, his subsequent election and ultimate inauguration as the fifth civilian governor of Plateau State on May, 29th 2015 had, no doubt, confounded political bookmakers and consigned the politics of godfatherism in the state to the dustbin of oblivion.

From the beginning, not many a politician believed he was going to win the general elections of that year especially in Plateau State. This is because political god fatherism had overtime played a key role in elections of this nature. But as a child of destiny, nothing would stop this astute administrator, exemplary leader, goal getter and a peace loving governor from his destined victory.

An important legacy of the Lalong administration in his first tenure is his exploits in the agricultural sector. Faced with dwindling oil revenue at the onset, and realizing the fact that agriculture is the mainstay of most of Plateau people, as well as the state’s economy, he turned to the sector for succor. The governor embraced the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers Scheme, which availed farmers of funds for massive food production and the economic empowerment of farmers. Through the governor’s benevolent efforts, the African Development Bank, AfFB, availed the state of a facility of about N3.38 bn for the massive production of Irish Potatoes under the Potato Value Chain. This would lead to the exportation of its finished products in the not-too-distant future. Also, government procured several tonnes of Fertilizer in the past four years and sold out to farmers at subsidised rates. The Governor also procured about 400 units of tractors in line with Government’s Tractorization Scheme aimed at availing farmers of farming implements so as boost food production in the state. Lalong further resuscitated the half-century old Panyam Fish Farm, Bokkos Fertilizer Blending Plant, accreditation of Garkawa College of Education and the provision of soft loans to farmers, which restored Plateau to its pride of place in agriculture. These were also deliberate efforts in line with his administration’s decision to divert the state’s economy from over dependence on dwindling oil revenue to agriculture as the mainstay of the state’s economy.

Confronted with the challenges of the near total rot which he inherited in the Education Sector, Governor Lalong took the bull by the horns and in less than four years the result is a superlative turnaround in the sector. The performance of Plateau State at the annual WAEC/NECO examinations, which was hovering around 35th or 36th out of the 36 states in Nigeria, has been reversed with the state now coming 5th or 6th position nationally at the moment. This was made possible through the massive employment and training of teachers, construction of new classrooms, and a massive injection of funds. For instance, three schools, GSS Shendam, Government College Pankshin and GSS Riyom have all been converted to Model Schools with state-of-the-art facilities put in place or are being put in place. Recently over 4000 primary school teachers who were initially recruited on an adhoc basis, had their appointments confirmed and made permanent. The infrastructural deficit in the schools were tackled through construction and renovation of more classrooms. More than 500 classrooms were built and or renovated within his first three years in office alone!  The Plateau State University, Bokkos was given a new lease of life with the reconstitution of the Governing Council under the leadership of ex-INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega as Pro-Chancellor. 17 academic programmes of the institution were accredited, which in turn facilitated the mobilisation of 2 sets of graduands for the NYSC scheme in 2017, the first since its establishment. Other state tertiary institutions also received the desired attention. The regular intervention in the sector has made it to run smoothly without any interruption on grounds of non-payment of salaries, which usually give rise to industrial dispute.

Lalong also addressed the issue of demoralised civil servants headlong on within his first tenure in office. With an inherited debt toll of over 220 billion Naira, and a civil service in dire straits, the Governor assembled an economic team with a clear mandate to think outside the box. The first reward was the first and second tranches of the salary bailout from the Federal Government, which he used to offset the backlog of civil servants’ unpaid salaries, pension/gratuity. This courageous deployment of about 20 billion Naira ignited the local economy and the reverberations were felt all over the state. This set the stage for a highly motivated civil service to key into the administration’s 5-Point Policy Thrust formulated to turn around the state. Thus, the journey for an endearing legacy of service delivery and delivering the dividends of democracy gained traction. The consistent payment of salaries up to date, and the prioritization of the general welfare of the workforce, engendered the multiplier effect of stimulating the local economy, thus endearing the governor to the electorate.

Lalong further filled the vacant traditional stools in the State based on laid down law and gazettes with a view to strengthening the traditional institution and foster community based leadership. Over fifty communities cutting across all the local government areas benefited from this gesture. These include 1st class status Chiefs to district heads.

Lalong  embarked on reviving moribund industries such as the Highland Bottling Company and the Jos Main Market. The reacquisition of the BARC Farms and resuscitation of Jos International Breweries, JIB, is being pursued with vigor.

The Lalong administration also opened a new vista for economic development by unveiling the process to harness and develop the tourism sector. This was done against the backdrop of the state’s tourism rich tourism potential that have yet to be exploited. Government did this by stepping up the process to harness these opportunities with a view to boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which dramatically increased from a paltry monthly N500 million at the inception of the Administration to about N1 billion today.

Another landmark achievement is women and youth empowerment. As a panacea for addressing this challenge, the governor established the Small, Medium and Micro Finance Enterprises Agency, SMEDAN. Thousands of women and youths have been trained on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and skills acquisition. Starter-packs were distributed to participants to begin their businesses as each is linked to financial institutions in order to achieve an appreciable level of financial inclusion. The Governor’s Midas Touch and resolute commitment to the cause of the youth ensured that the state-owned Plateau United Football Club won the 2016/2017 Nigerian Premier league trophy.

One cardinal policy of the Lalong administration which has differentiated it from past administrations was his decision to continue and complete all the projects which he inherited. Accordingly, critical infrastructures like roads inherited from the last administration have been completed, while new ones, particularly the Lalong Legacy Projects, were unveiled, ongoing and or completed.

In spite of the challenge posed by the PDP, the task of stopping Lalong’s second term bid is indeed a Herculean one. With Lalong’s amazing legacies in less than four years in office, it is no surprise that his support base is swelling by the day.