by Seriki Adinoyi
Immediate past Governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah Jang, has dismissed the statement credited to the past governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu where he alleged that the then 19 Northern states’ governors met, deliberated and all decided not to support the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, describing it as a lie.
In a statement titled “Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu Lied” signed by Jang’s media consultant, Mr. Clinton Garuba, the former Plateau governor said as one of the then Northern Governors he was never part of such meeting, neither was he privy to it, as claimed by his Niger state counterpart.
The statement added, “For the avoidance of doubt, despite the perceived shortcomings of President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Jang believed that President Jonathan was better equipped to rule Nigeria at the time, especially when his opponent was General Buhari who Jang did not hide his conviction regarding his (Buhari) inabilities to resolve the Nation’s challenges and sensitivities of the issues at the moment. But unfortunately, Buhari won, and we are all witnesses to the tales of woes that have followed.
“We view the statement of Dr. Aliyu as an attempt to drag the hard earned reputation of Jang into disrepute. Having served Nigeria as a military officer, later as a civilian Governor, and also as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and has discharged his responsibilities without blemish, Senator Jang is not one who speaks from both sides of his mouth; rather he speaks and supports only what he believes.
“Little wonder that Plateau State was won by President Jonathan in the 2015 general elections, largely due to the hard work of the then Governor Jang.”
Jang further emphasized that there was no basis for him not to have supported Jonathan especially as the contest was against General Buhari. He therefore advised Aliyu to be weary of such utterances that were untrue, especially when talking to the public.
