Only 2000 Votes Will Humble Useni, PDP – Gov Lalong

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Gov. Lalong: Shocked by incessant attack in the state
Governor  Lalong woos Plateau voters for Saturday re-run poll

BY VICTOR BUORO, JOS – Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State says losing the supplementary election scheduled for Saturday, March 23 is totally out of the question because his people are ready to back him up fully with more than the 2000 votes required to confirm his victory as the governor-elect

He said of the 49,000 cancelled votes in contention, the All Progressives Congress (APC) needs only 2000 votes to claim victory and it is foolhardy for anyone to think that having been on the side of Plateau people in almost four years as their governor, Lalong does not enjoy enough goodwill to scale through this hurdle.

The Independent National Electoral (INEC) had while declaring the Plateau State governorship election, alongside Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, and Sokoto, inconclusive, attributed the decision to minimal votes differential between Governor Lalong and his main opponent, Senator Jeremiah Useni

The electoral umpire noted that the winning margin between leading and second placed candidates were clearly less than the cancelled votes

Governor Lalong told newsmen in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Thursday that he was sure of victory come Saturday re-run poll.

According to him; “The coast is very clear for me. I am going for just 2000 votes. It will be stupid for me to lose election with 2000 votes with the popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on ground and what I have done for the state.”

“We have 49,000 registered voters in the places that the election will be conducted and I am leading with almost 45000. What magic will they do in these places?” he queried.

He boasted that Mangu, with about 25000 registered voters for the supplementary election, was his stronghold, adding that he had already won in those areas before the votes were cancelled due to issues of over-voting and card reader failure.

The Governor also said himself and the ruling party, PAC were fully ready to confront Senator Jeremiah Useni, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cnndidate at the Elections Tribunal if he decides to challenge his impending victory.

Governor Lalong also reacted to allegations by PDP flag-bearer, Senator Jeremiah Useni that he diverted N20 billion meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Useni had alleged that Lalong diverted the money for personal use; but the governor described it as totally false and the fertile imagination of the opposition party and its candidate.
He said; “For Useni, who is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to make allegation that money was given to the state means that he does not know what he is doing. It means they did not care to fight for the IDPs.
“Everything we are doing as regards IDPs is at our own level. In other states, it is members of the National Assembly that are struggling for IDPs. I have not seen efforts from some of them in the state struggling for the IDPs instead they are beginning to take advantage of the people remaining in IDP camps”.

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