By Golok Nanmwa, Jos
Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong on Wednesday urged citizens to shun all acts that are capable of threatening peaceful coexistence.
Lalong made this known while addressing Christians across all denominations on the Plateau who converged at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos for a solemn assembly to pray and offer supplications to God for the peace, progress and stability of the State and Nigeria at large.
While addressing the gathering organised by Christian Denominational leaders in conjunction with the Plateau State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Governor Lalong said the solemn assembly is coming at the right time when the peace and progress of Nigeria and Plateau State is more than ever before being challenged.
He said “Looking at the level of wickedness and manifestation of evil that is threatening our peaceful coexistence and the safety of lives and properties, the Call to Prayers and Repentance is a collective one that emphasizes soul-searching by everyone. This is because the challenges we face today cannot be said to be the fault of a few persons only. Similarly, the efforts to restore the fortunes of our State and country cannot be carried out by a few persons alone”.
He said in order to build a better Plateau and a greater Nigeria; citizens must shun all acts that are capable of threatening humanity which is God’s creation. He regretted that many times, people allow ethnicity, religion, denominational differences, politics, pride, money, greed and selfishness to take control of their lives to the point that they treat people as if they were not created by the Almighty God.
He called on all Christians and indeed the entire citizens of Plateau State irrespective of religious or other differences to do their part in sustaining the achievements that have recorded in creating an atmosphere for peace, dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation during the last seven years of his administration.
On the 2023 General Elections, he said “As we move deeper into the political spectrum, I wish to advise our citizens to use the moment to work together for a better Plateau. This is the time to pray to God and actively participate for the emergence of the right set of leaders that will take over the affairs of our State and country in 2023. Let us do away with politics of hatred, bitterness, violence, character assassination and fake news. We should not allow desperate politicians to use religion, ethnicity and other antics to divide us. We must never forget to Think and Act Plateau”.
The Governor emphasised that at the end of the day, those who win or lose shall continue to remain brothers and sisters irrespective of their political parties or other peculiarities. This he said should encourage those seeking political offices to tell the people what they intend to do and allow the electorate to decide through the ballot box.
