Northern Christian group praises APC for choosing Lalong as campaign DG

A group, operating under the name Northern Christian Network (NCN), has commended the decision of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to appoint Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong as its Director General of Presidential Campaign Council.

Lalong's emergence: Pulse reports that the ruling party announced Lalong as the DG of Tinubu campaign after the party's National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, communicated the decision to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The emergence of Lalong, a northern Christian, has poured a cold water on the heated debates that trailed the choice of the party to present a two Muslims as President and Vice Presidential candidates.

Group commends APC: The NCN's reaction was conveyed in a statement issued by the converne of the group, Mshelia Lazarus, in Abuja on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

While congratulating Lalong on his emergence, the group noted that his appointment would to a greater extent take the steam out of the ongoing controversies about the single faith ticket of the APC.

It therefore appealed to critical political stakeholders across the country, especially the those from the North Central geopolitical zone to galvanize support for the Plateau State Governor to enable him excell in the given task.

The group then urged Nigerian Christians to see Lalong as one of their own who would ensure that their interests well protected in the ruling party.

The group's statement: “Lalong is a quintessential and grassroots politician who will be able to galvanize his influence in delivering victory for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“The choice of Lalong who is an influential Northern politician and a devoted but detrabalised Christian from the ruling party, will no doubt, kindle hope among the Christian community in the country”, the group said in the statement.

“Lalong, who is the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum was able to galvanized and rally all his colleagues from the North to insist on power shift to the South.

“He was instrumental in seeing to it that the cabals who were bent on foisting a Northern candidate on the party as flag bearer did not succeed, thus, paving the way for the seamless emergence of Tinubu at the convention in Abuja.

“The last minute intervention of the Lalong-led NGF changed the equation in favour of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.”

“The emergence of Lalong as governor changed the narrative on the Plateau as the state has largely witnessed relative peace as against the recurrent clashes it had recorded in the ugly past.

“Lalong due to his sensitivity to the religious and ethnic leanings of the people on the Plateau, has been able to engender peaceful coexistence and promote harmonious living among the people.

“He has been able to scale down the spate of conflicts and tension on the Plateau. Lalong has before now served as a lawmaker in the Plateau State House of Assembly where he rose to become Speaker of the House aside handling other sensitive responsibilities in the House.

“As chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Lalong as first among equals, has been able to galvanize his 18 other fellow governors from the North and had coordinated the affairs of the Forum without hitches.

“All these were clear attestation to the competence of Lalong and there is no gainsaying the fact that choosing him as the campaign DG would ensure victory for Asiwaju”, the group said.

Lalong's reaction: Pulse had earlier reported that the Plateau State Governor had shut down calls from some quarters urging him to reject the appointment, arguing that even even Pope is not opposed to his appointment.