...as body arrives tomorrow
Goveror Jonah Jang of Plateau State yesterday disclosed that his state and Nasarawa State will organise a joint burial for the late former governor of old Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar, who died in a US hospital recently.
The governor also said that no date has been fixed for the burial of the late former chairman of ruling Peoples Democratic Party, whose remains are being expected to be flown to the country tomorrow.
Governor Jang was speaking yesterday in Government House, Jos, while receiving his Nasarawa State counterpart, Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura, who led a government delegation on condolence visit to the former.
According to Jang, "I have agreed with the family of Baba Lar on the burial arrangements; I am expecting the widow, Ambassador Mary Lar, to arrive any moment from today and her arrival has to do with the burial plans."
"Solomon Lar is not someone you will bury in a hurry; the Federal Government is interested, the national executive of the PDP is interested, the political associates and friends of Baba Lar are interested. So the burial of Chief Lar will be a national one.
"But the date of the burial has to be approved by the Federal Government; there will be a national burial committee.
Plateau State and Nasarawa State will have a joint burial committee for Baba Lar. Plateau has to do it jointly with the government of Nasarawa State because Baba Lar served the people of both states under old Plateau State prior to the creation of Nasarawa State.
"I have been notified that Mr President will travel out of the country by Monday this week and we have to wait until he comes back because whatever date agreed between me and the family will have to be on the convenience of Mr President," he explained.
"So, as it is, no date yet for burial, the planning committee will continued with the arrangement until Mr President returns" said Jang. Earlier in his condolence message, Gov Tanko Almakura said the government and people of Nasarawa state sincerely commiserates with government and people of Plateau state over the demise of their former governor.
Almakura said, "We in Nasarawa state feel a sense of tremendous loss in the death of our former governor Baba Lar. His death is not only a great loss for people of Plateau and Nasarawa state but to the entire Nigerian citizens.
"Baba Lar' passion for democracy and good governance has no equal, he not only fought for the nation independent, he fought for restoration of democracy, he was a great democrat" said Gov. Almakura.
Source: Plateau, Nasarawa plan joint burial for Lar (http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/plateau-nasarawa-plan-joint-burial-for-lar/)