Plateau 2019: Gov Lalong, Sport Minister Begins Hostilities.

The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, and the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, both of the All Progressives Congress, are engaged in a personality clash.

The duo are said to have had historic antecedents of misunderstanding, culminating in the latest clash they had in Shendam during the cultural festival of the Gamai ethnic group.This was said to have been caused by suspicions over their interests in the 2019 governorship race in the state. While Lalong is said to be interested in seeking re-election, Dalung is seeking to displace him.The cold war, according to sources, became more intense after the appointment of Dalung as minister.Dalung was said to have stormed the Shendam Mini Stadium to attend the cultural event when Governor Lalong was already seated.The event was said to be coming to a close when Dalung drove in.The arrival of the minister was said to have caused a disruption of the event due to the long convoy of loyalists that were in his entourage.Lalong, who became “embarrassed” by what a source termed as the protocol breach by the minister, remained calm, but his followers made moves to protect him.

The source said: “Governor Lalong’s followers demanded that the minister should not be allowed a seat, alleging that the minister was not invited to the cultural festival.”Dalung was later offered a sit at a location far from Lalong, but that the minister insisted he sits next to the Governor.The source added: “In spite of the uneasy calm maintained by Lalong, his supporters were miffed and obviously agitated as they were unhappy that the development denigrated the office of the governor.”

There has been no love lost between Lalong and Dalung since the appointment of the Minister.It was alleged that Lalong opposed the nomination of Dalung as minister on the basis that both of them come from the same political zone in Plateau State.Lalong has therefore been avoiding meeting the minister at any forum, which explained why the minister was not given any formal invitation to attend the function.The same reason explained why Lalong refused to receive the minister on a courtesy call to the Government House recently.

This was shortly after the closing ceremony of a youth entrepreneurship programme at the Leadership and Citizenship Training Centre, Shere Hills, Jos