Former Plateau Dep Gov Re-unites With Campaign Members
BY CHAMBERLAIN ODEY, JOS – A former Deputy Governor of Plateau state, Ambassador Ignatius Longjan, has held a reunion parley with members of his campaign organisation during the 2015 general elections.
The event, which took place in the Jos home of the former number two man, who was deputy to the then Governor Jonah Jang between 2011 to 2015, attracted former members of the Redemption Reloaded Campaign organisation from all the local government areas of the state, especially its key officers and zonal directors.
Welcoming his guests, Ambassador Longjan said “it is with joy that I am seeing some of you again after a little over three years. I want to warmly welcome you into my little home and thank God Almighty for granting you journey mercies from far and near”.
Reminiscing further, a grateful Longjan expressed delight that the people stood by him at that critical moment: “I am glad that you were there for me when my people called on me to contest for the exalted seat of the governor of our dear state, which was my constitutional right as a citizen of Nigeria and an indigene of this state”.
Demonstrating a genuine spirit of sportsmanship, Longjan urged his visitors to look ahead without bearing malice against the past, saying “what happened at the PDP gubernatorial primary in December 2014, and all attendant developments that you are fully aware of, are now history. I want to thank you and the people of this state for overwhelming and unprecedented support and goodwill towards my humble self”.
Longjan, who said he parted ways with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), because “impunity” took over the system, also reported that he and his group contributed immensely to the victory of Simon Lalong at the polls, recalling that “Governor Simon Bako Lalong led his team and had a fruitful and cordial interaction with this team at our then campaign office. We contributed men, materials, and other resources”.
Denying that the “reunion” was not in any way a refurbishing and resurrection of the campaign organisation on the eve of another general election, Longjan said it is only coincidental that the event took place when speculations about his senatorial election bid for Plateau South zone are making the rounds, saying the parley with the former members of the campaign organisation could have held earlier but not for overwhelming post-election stress.
The former deputy governor said his relationship with his boss and principal, Jonah Jang is cordial, as they have since talked things over, and he, Ambassador Longjan, as a Christian faithful, has genuinely forgiven Jang.
