BY TAYE OBATERU

Jos – Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, yesterday took oath of office for a second four-year tenure, saying the best way to demonstrate gratitude for the mandate of the people “is by working tirelessly towards meeting their expectations”.

Speaking after taking the oath at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium administered by the state Chief Judge, Justice Lazarus Dakyen, he promised to unveil a three-pillar policy framework that would be a consolidation of the 10-point agenda he pursued in his first tenure, but gave no details.

Absent at the event was the immediate past Deputy Governor, Dame Pauline Tallen, who was the Labour Party governorship candidate as she was said to have travelled to Abuja for the attend President Goodluck Jonathan’s inauguration. 

However, former minister and ANPP governorship candidate in the election, Mr. Damishi Sango graced the occasion along with former Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu and former Governor Fidelis Tapgun who are known to have differed with the governor politically.

Jang sounded reconciliatory urging political opponents to put the past behind and join hands to build the state.

“On behalf of all those elected, be assured that the task before us is no more politics but a task for development, peace and unity of our people. Our appeal to our opponents is this; the time for politics is over, it is now time for governance. We must work round the clock to further enhance the good things of life for the generality of our people.

“We have the chance today to do more than ever before in our history, to make life better in Plateau State- to ensure better education, better health, better transportation, better infrastructure, a cleaner environment – to restore respect for law and order to make our communities safe havens to ensure the God-given right of every Nigerian to full and equal opportunity”, he said.