Gov Simon Lalong has thanked Plateau people for their prayers and support that gave him victory in the supplementary governorship election.
Lalong expressed his appreciation during a mass at St. Monica’s Catholic Church Rantiya, Jos, on Sunday.
He said that the victory would not have been possible without the people’s prayers.
Lalong was declared the winner of the supplementary election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Sunday.
Lalong, a Governorship Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 595,582 votes after the supplementary election to defeat his closest rival, Sen. Jeremiah Useni of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who got 546,813 votes.
He thanked every Plateau indigene including those that did not vote for him for his re-election.
“I thank three categories of people; those who contested with me from the opposition as well as members of the opposition.
“I thanked those who formed the crowd during campaigns but didn’t vote during the elections.
“I also thank those who were with me from the beginning, campaigned for me but voted against me,’’ Lalong said.
The governor said that with people’s prayers, the election was peaceful in the state.
He urged the people to also pray for peace in the entire nation.
Lalong urged the church to remain united and not allow itself to be divided along denominational lines.
“Plateau people voted for me not because I am a Catholic but because of what they want me to do for them.
“I will be the governor of all denominations and religions,’’ he said.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Thizar, in a sermon, prayed God to grant all humanity the wisdom to make the right decisions.
Thizar assured Lalong that the Church would continue to pray for him.
The cleric, however, urged the governor to do things that would positively impact on the lives of the people of Plateau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Mass was Lalong’s first outing after he was re-elected.