Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Barrister Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Sports who represents Plateau in the Federal Executive Council are at each other’s throat.
They remind me of a similar previous squabble betweentwo prominent citizens of the state at the beginning of our democratic journey in 1999. In that year, Joshua Dariye emerged as an elected Governor of Plateau while Damishi Sango was appointed a Minister of Sports by President Olusegun Obasanjo. Somehow, the two big citizens of the state never agreed.
My understanding of government protocol in our system is that an elected governor comes top of an appointed Minister. Damishi Sango did not see it that way. In our skewed federal system which gives much powers to the central government, he saw his office as superior to that of the governor. On one particular bright day, the two powerful men decided to demonstrate their power in the open in full view of the public.
The motorcade of Damishi Sango was driving into Jos on a single lane road while that of Joshua Dariye was driving out of town on the same road. Both were moving at a suicidal speed for which public convoys in Nigeria are known for. In line with the contest for power between the two men, none of the convoys would make way for the other. A headlong collusion seemed inevitable and infact it soon took place. One or two unfortunate lowly officials on the entourage of the big men died instantly as a result of the avoidable accident. Many more were gravely injured. The amazing thing about it all was that the two powerful men, who escaped unhurt continued their journey, driving away with fury as they both went their ways.
That is the ridiculous level to which people intoxicated with power in Nigeria and it seems more so on the Plateau can go.
Dariye and Sango were members of the same party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. In a similar fashion, Lalong and Dalung are all members of the same party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. Somehow, the PDP looked the other way while this show of shame was taking place by its ranking members in full glare of the people who gave the party the mandate both in the state and at the federal level. Similarly, the APC which was given the mandate in Plateau and at the federal level seems helpless in the simmering fight betweenLalong and Dalung. Under President Obasanjo, a former military dictator who was elected President, the fight on the Plateau continued long after the public show of shame on a Jos road which resulted in some deaths, until there was a cabinet shakeup and Sango was dropped. Under President Buhari, another military dictator now an elected President, we appear to be waiting for another loss of lives in a bizarre collusion of motorcades before sanity prevails.
Lalong and Dalung have come a long way. Both politicians are from the same Senatorial Zone – Plateau South. The nomination of Dalung as Minister was something of a surprise to power brokers on the Plateau because given its multi ethnic structure, it was expected that a Minister and Governor should not come from the same zone. Additionally, Dalung failed rather woefully to deliver his Local Government and even his ward to APC in the election of 2015. Amazingly, President Buhari insisted on having Dalung as Minister.
Since they came into office in 2015, the two powerful men on the Plateau have been playing a game of cloak and dagger mixed with hide and seek. But with the recent visit of President Buhari to Plateau, the bubble suddenly bust.Immediately Buhari returned to Abuja, the minister took to Facebook to lambast the governor’s handling of the state visit. He said as the Minister representing the state, he was not initially involved in the planning of the visit until at a late stage.
He also alleged that the Presidents meeting with stakeholders in the state was a “guided town hall meeting where screened speakers were tutored to sing praises of the Governor. Members of the state traditional council were not recognized despite their presence. Former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, Former Military Governor of Plateau, S.B Atukum and former Deputy Governor, Dame Pauline Tallen were on the high table but they were never recognized or allowed to say a word at the town hall meeting. No other person was allowed to speak except chairman PYC, President NCWS, CAN Chairman, Chairman, JNI and Chief Jethro Akun, who spoke for the elders. Sen. Dariye spoke for the National Assembly but his reckless praises of Lalong, while dismissing the seriousness of the occasion was another mockery. All these speakers only sang praises of Governor Lalong. They also created the impression to Mr President that all is well with Plateau because Governor Lalong has brought durable peace on the Plateau and paid salaries and pensions up to date.”
But the Minister was not done yet. He wrote: “Another disaster of the President’s visit was the renaming of Yakubu Gowon way to Muhammadu Buhari way. To say the least, it is embarrassing. Gowon was the President’s boss. How can he be stripped of a 40- year privilege and honour in his home state? This is the worst thing that can happen to a man like the elder statesman. I believe that General Gowon is feeling betrayed and abandoned by his own people. Also Mr. President was misled to believe that all the road networks in Jos metropolis were constructed by Governor Alert. It was morally wrong for Lalong to fail to acknowledge that it was Governor Jang’s legacies. I was an ardent critic of Governor Jang’s administration but I will not fail to credit his legacies because of differences. The only projects Lalong did are the road to his house and 40 tractors.”
Many reactions from the Governors camp have trailed Dalungsfacebook tirade against Lalong. But I find the one by the Plateau State chairman of the APC, LatepDabang most revealing. “For Dalung to make such nonsensical remarks, it shows that he is just like a mad man on the street. As far as we are concerned, governance is about continuity not about personality. President Buhari came to the Plateau to commission projects that have and will better the lives of ordinary citizens. He did not simply come to commission only projects initiated by Governor Lalong alone.
“Is Dalung suggesting that because we commissioned some projects that Jonah Jang initiated, that we bring back Jonah Jang to commission them? That’s just silly. So, for a minister in the capacity of Dalung’s standing to ridicule himself by making such ridiculous remarks –and by countering what his boss (the president) has said is frankly, very pathetic. It shows that Dalung is a man who is not well, he is sick in the head,” thundered Dabang.
When the state Chairman of a party starts saying in public that the man who represents his state in the Federal Executive Council is sick in the head and needs medical help, there must be something really wrong somewhere. [myad]
