Muslim-Muslim ticket: Pope hasn’t told me to reject DG appointment-Lalong

• Thanks Buhari for granting pardon to Dariye, Nyame

By Egena Sunday Ode

Guvernor of Plateau State and  Director-General of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Organization, Simon Lalong, said that as a Catholic, the Pope has not told him that accepting to lead the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket was wrong.

Governor Lalong also denied  allegations that he lobbied to become the running mate of the APC presidential candidate, in the 2023 elections, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The  Governor said that as a born, baptized and confirmed Catholic, who has the highest award from the papacy, Knight of Saint Gregory the Great, the Pope has not told him that it was wrong for him to be the DG of the Muslim-Muslim presidential campaign team.

The governor, who met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari toldd newsmen after the meeting that the Pleateau State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, came to the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos to welcome him after his appointment as the APC presidential campaign DG.

He berated some Christian leaders calling on him to reject the appointment, explaining that the appointment was strictly a party affair and has nothing to do with religion.

He said: in fact, I am a member of the APC, a founding member of the APC. I don’t do anti-party activities. Some people said because I was denied VP. I did not lobby for VP. Yes, many people were lobbying and writing on my behalf, but what I have always wanted to be and obtained form for Senate. I have senatorial ticket that I am waiting for. So if at any time some people who wanted to VP lost out and they’re using religion, they should not use me to help them.

“We are already far, we’re talking about the leadership. We’re talking about the problems if we have, addressing the problems of Nigeria, and all we’re talking about is good leadership. We can come from any region.”

He said that he was at the Presidential Villa to thank the President for approving numerous infrastructural projects and for granting presidential pardon to the former governor of the state, Senator Joshua Dariye as well of a former governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame that were convicted for corruption.