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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has emphasised the crucial and multifaceted contributions of Plateau State to Nigeria’s development and unity.
He said the state has produced leaders who have championed unity, particularly during challenging times like the civil war.
Speaking while formally receiving Governor Caleb Mutfwang into the All Progressives Congress (APC), the vice president said Plateau’s strength is seen in its ability to foster reconciliation and healing.
“What the nation has become is because of contributions from this extraordinary land. Plateau is a reminder that what powers us, what powers every nation is unity, a unity rooted not in sadness but in shared purpose. It is on that basis that we gather here today.
“It is not surprising that the man who held Nigeria together at his most challenging hour during the darkest hours of the civil war came from this beautiful state, our own beloved father, Gen Yakubu Gowon. Plateau gave Nigeria a leader whose strength lay in reconciliation and whose legacy reminds us that nations survive not by conquest but by healing.
“Plateau has also given Nigeria soldiers who paid the ultimate price to keep this country whole and fought for the unity of the nation, from the unforgettable Colonel James Yakubu Pam to Gen Joseph Garba and to that remarkable generation of officers fondly described as the Langtang Mafia.
“In political leadership, the state has provided leaders who redefined Nigerian politics by emphasising consensus, inclusivity and broadening the sense of belonging for all citizens. Examples include Solomon Daushep Lar, Sir Fidelis Tapgun, Joshua Dariye, Pauline Tallen and Simon Bako Lalong, who are leaders who have consistently remained at the center of Nigeria’s national consciousness.”
The vice president described the president leadership of the party led by Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, and governor as visionary leaders who are a force for unity and change.
He credited Mutfwang with prioritising peace through justice and equity, finding lasting solutions to the state’s problems, building peace across communities, implementing projects in renewable energy, agriculture, transportation, education, healthcare and youth empowerment and demonstrating genuine service to the people.
He described APC as unifying for all Nigerians, emphasising its philosophy of team-building, embracing diversity, and valuing every voice.
He asserts that the APC is not a party in crisis but a destination for those who believe in a united future.
Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda said President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 general elections with a landslide victory.
According to him, Tinubu has done well in tackling insecurity, poverty, and improving the economy, hence he deserves to be re-elected in 2027.
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“Our president is doing well in addressing security challenges and ensuring lasting peace in Nigeria.
“He is doing everything to eradicate poverty through skills development and an improved economy; the president means well for Nigerians.
“This is why today the governors are comfortably paying salaries and carrying out steady infrastructure development.
“With this, the re-election bid of the president in 2027 is a done deal; he will win with a landslide victory,” he said
Yilwatda particularly commended Mutfwang for taking the bold step to join the ruling party, adding that the move would breed more development and ensure a united Plateau.
He further noted that with the coming of Mutfwang into the party, the number of governors in APC’s fold had increased to 29.
“Today as I welcome my elder brother and senior to the APC, let me inform us that with this move, we now have 29 governors in the party,” he said.
Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, described the Tinubu-led all-inclusive devoid of tribal religious and regional sentiments.
Akpabio said with the ongoing developmental strides of the current administration, the president deserved another term to complete the good works that he had started.
The senate president, who congratulated Mutfwang for joining the APC, pledged the support of the senate in the governor’s fight against insecurity and in ensuring displaced persons in the state returned to their original places of abode.
“I believe strongly that with this move, unity has returned to the plateau; I believe with this move, IDPs on the Plateau will return to their homes very soon.
“So I want to let you know that the National Assembly will do everything to appropriate funds to enable you return your people who are in IDP camps back to their villages.
“This administration will do everything possible to protect all religions, protect all Muslims and Christians alike; we will not allow anybody to be left behind,” Akpabio said.
