Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong said on Thursday in Abuja that an interim government intended to thwart Bola Tinubu’s inauguration would not succeed under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch. Lalong made the remarks shortly after meeting President Buhari at Aso Rock, emphasizing that any plot to install an interim national government was merely a daydream.
His comments came a day after the presidential campaign councils of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urged the Department of State Services to arrest those allegedly planning an interim government. The appeal followed a statement from Nigeria’s secret police indicating that some individuals were conspiring to delay Tinubu’s inauguration and replace him with an interim administration. On March 1, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner of the February 25 presidential election, with 8,794,726 votes, defeating PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar (6,984,520 votes) and Labour Party candidate Peter Obi (6,101,533 votes). Both Atiku and Obi rejected the results, alleging rigging.
Speaking at the State House, Lalong said, “Nigerians will always say, ‘God forbid.’ Not under the administration of President Buhari, who repeatedly affirms his belief in democracy and his intention to retire after his tenure. He told me today, ‘I’m going back to Daura,’ and I replied that some of us will still disturb you in Daura. This man has worked very well for democracy. So those who are still talking about an interim government are just dreaming. By the grace of God, Buhari will bring a successor, and that successor is already Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Lalong also used the occasion to formally invite President Buhari to Plateau State to inaugurate several legacy projects. He listed six model hospitals, six model secondary schools and six model primary schools, as well as the completion of many abandoned projects from previous administrations. Among these is a large British‑American overhead bridge and a new High Court in Jos, which he described as “the best High Court in the North, now waiting for launching.” While Lalong expressed pride in these achievements, it remains unclear whether President Buhari has accepted the invitation.
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