North Central govs endorse Lawan, Gbajabiamila

All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and party state chairmen from the North Central geo-political zone, last night endorsed the two candidates of the party for the leadership positions of the 9th National Assembly.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State disclosed this to newsmen after a closed-door meeting of stakeholders from the zone at the Plateau State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

According to a statement by Mark Longen, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau on Media and Publicity, the governor disclosed this while addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting of stakeholders in Asokoro, Abuja.

The statement quoted Lalong saying, “a meeting of governors and the party chairmen from North Central today resolved to go along with the decision of the party’s endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan as Senate President and Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 9th National Assembly.”

According to the statement, “Since it was a party affair, our decision was in line with the wish of the party and that is why we the governors and state chairmen of our party from the zone are in support of the decision of the party.”

On what the zone stood to gain in the power sharing formula, Gov. Lalong said, “we are still deliberating. We have not exhausted the positions with respect to zoning. Our decision and position are only on two issues, while the rest deliberations are ongoing. There is going to be a continuation of our meeting in respect of positions to the North Central with both Mr. President and the party”.

The meeting which lasted for more than one hour had in attendance, Governor Lalong, his Niger State counterpart, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Almakura and Benue State APC governorship candidate, Barrister Emmanuel Jime. State APC Chairmen in attendance were Engr. Jibrin Imam of Niger State, his Kogi State counterpart, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, Nasarawa State’s Philips Shekwo, Chief Letep Dabang of Plateau State, Comrade Abba Yaro of Benue State, as well as the FCT’s Abdullahi Usman.