- Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state and the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Senator Jeremiah Useni clashed over alleged diversion of N20bn IDPs money
- Useni had earlier accused Governor Lalong of diverting N20bn allegedly meant for the IDPs
- Governor Lalong, however, described the allegation as false, challenging Useni to provide of proof if he has any
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state has described as fake news allegations by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Jeremiah Useni that he diverted N20 billion meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Useni had alleged at a news conference on Wednesday, March 20, that Lalong diverted the money for personal use.
But Lalong who reacted while speaking with newsmen on Thursday, March 21, in Jos said Useni’s allegations were totally false.
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“For Useni who is a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make allegation that money was given to the state means that he does not know what he is doing.
“It means they did not care to fight for the IDPs. Everything we are doing as regards IDPs is at our own level.
“In other states it is members of the National Assembly that are struggling for IDPs.
“I have not seen efforts from some of them in the state struggling for the IDPs instead they are beginning to take advantage of the people remaining in IDP camps,” he said.
He said his administration has done its best to return the IDPs back to their ancestral homes and that the opposition is not happy they are relocating.
Lalong said Useni should have known as a senator if N20 billion was given to the state by the federal government.
“We have not received money for the IDPs in the state.
“It was only yesterday that I heard that there would be intervention for states that were involved in conflict and I have told the people already.
“These kind of allegations should not come from such high quarters.
“If he has any proof let him bring it out for the people of the state to see,” he added.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Lalong, on Monday, March 18, said he was not jittery over the governorship election re-run fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for March 23.
Lalong made this known when he spoke with State House correspondents after a private meeting he had with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He expressed confidence that he would be victorious adding that the units where votes were cancelled were his strongholds.
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Source: Legit.ng
