President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met with Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau where he was briefed on the latest security development in Plateau
Lalong, who spoke to State House correspondents after the closed door meeting held at the presidential villa, Abuja, said he updated the president on latest security situation in the state.
”My meeting with the President was the usual briefing.
”Well I have a great assignment; one, Mr President made a very timely intervention, not only him coming, I saw the Vice-President came and less than 24 hours the President was also in my state and I saw that kind of concern, that helped and encouraged me.
”We did our best to nip the crisis in the bud. So, after a while, now that there is relative peace in that place. It’s my responsibility to come and say `thank you’ to Mr President, give him a brief and if there are other issues I will also discuss with him,’’ he said.
He said his administration had submitted some proposals and recommendations to the presidency aimed at addressing the challenges facing the Plateau including the killings occasioned by conflicts in the state.
The governor, who expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the meeting between President Buhari and the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), stated that the problems in Plateau had gone beyond the issue of `blame game’.
He said that all well-meaning citizens of the state must unite and confront the common enemies who were bent on causing chaos and mayhem in the state.
Lalong confirmed that already suspects had been arrested in connection with the recent killings in the state.
He said the state’s amended Penal Code, meant to strengthen criminal justice system in the state would be signed into law next week.
Gov. Abdul aziz Yari of Zamfara, who alongside with the Governors of Jigawa and Kebbi states, Badaru Abubakar and Atiku Bagudu respectively, had also met briefly with President Buhari.
Yari, who spoke to State House correspondents after another meeting held with the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari and Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said they discussed issues concerning the nation’s Federation Accounts and Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“Initially, it was supposed to be a private visit but it has turned to official visit because you know we were supposed to hold the federation accounts and allocation committee meeting since last week and there was deadlocked.
”So the Chief of Staff decided to invite the minister so that we could discuss further and see how best we are going to deal with the matter.
”There is headway because Mr President and the Minister of Finance will meet with the NNPC officials so that we can resolve the problem with the federation accounts and allocation committee,’’ he said.
The minister of finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who also spoke to the correspondents, expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the meeting.
”Well, as you know last FAAC meeting ended in deadlock and since then we have been having series of engagements between ourselves – the governors, the commissioners and of course the various stakeholders.
“Today’s meeting was for me to brief the governors and the Chief of Staff and by extension Mr President on the progress we have made so far on our position.
“Mr President has promised to take the next step and to that extent we are very satisfied.’’(NAN)
