“It was my wish to bring peace, unity and stability in the party in the state that made me to step down as leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to my successor, Governor Caleb Mutfwang,” former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Simon Lalong said.
Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial district in the National Assembly, Lalong, disclosed this in a chat with select journalists in Jos on Wednesday, it was reported.
Answering a question on why he agreed to let go of his leadership position, Lalong said the move was in line with the APC’s ideology of cohesion and collective progress.
Soon after picking his nomination form, Lalong declared his intention to re-contest the Senate for the second time. He said with Mutfwang’s defection to the APC, there was no reason for him to still hold on to the leadership of the party.
“The governor said he was coming back to the APC, and without any resistance, as was done in so many states, we accepted him,” he said.
“The PDP collapsed and governance was returned to my party because I was the one that brought the APC to the Plateau. I was the leader and sole commander of the party, together with the likes of the late General Shagaya and others now of blessed memory. “APC gave me a platform and I became governor of Plateau State.
“So, with the establishment of APC on the Plateau, I feel honoured to be regarded as the father of APC in the state and I am honoured that people left their parties and came back to join me in my house.
It is natural that when you see a guest, the governor, coming to join you with good intentions, you welcome him. We have a very good relationship with the governor of the state today.
“I feel honoured and dignified that Plateau state is APC today. So, when he came into the APC, one of the things I did to welcome him was to say, ‘I surrender the leadership to you.’ I said that so that he could be comfortable that the house he is entering has been completely handed over to him.
“And if you recall, that day, the governor also responded and said to me, ‘Your Excellency, I am surprised that you have just handed this leadership over to me. Don’t think you are running away from me. You can’t run from me. ‘We’ll both run this party. That was his reply.”
