Inside Tinubu’s Message to Jonah Jang

President Bola Tinubu has extended warm felicitations to former Plateau State Governor and elder statesman Senator Jonah Jang as the octogenarian marks his 80th birthday, praising his decades of service to the nation and his contributions to peace in the Middle Belt.

In a statement released Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President rejoiced with Jang on the milestone, noting the former governor’s “many years of dedicated service to the state and the nation.”

Tinubu specifically highlighted Jang’s interventions in promoting peace and harmony in Plateau State, a region long plagued by religious and ethnic tensions.

The President acknowledged the former governor’s efforts to de-escalate conflicts through “greater enlightenment and interaction” among the state’s diverse communities.

The President noted his “long meritorious career in the military,” during which he served as military governor of Benue and old Gongola states before transitioning to civilian politics, a trajectory that mirrored the careers of many Nigerian leaders who navigated the country’s turbulent political evolution.

Jang’s military background provided administrative experience that would later inform his approach to governance as a civilian. After retiring from the military, he entered politics and eventually emerged as a key figure in Plateau State, serving two terms as governor under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before proceeding to the Senate where he represented Plateau North Senatorial District.

President Tinubu commended Jang’s “visionary leadership” as demonstrated through legacy projects that continue to impact lives across Plateau State.

The President cited “road construction, civil service reforms, and the repositioning of health and educational institutions” as enduring achievements of the Jang administration.

“President Tinubu congratulates Senator Jang, his family, and his political associates on his 80th birthday and on his numerous achievements in public service,” the statement read, adding that the President prayed “that the Almighty God will strengthen the octogenarian with good health to keep serving the state and the nation.”

Jonah David Jang was born on March 13, 1946. His career spans critical chapters of Nigeria’s history-from military service in the early republic, through military governorship during the Ibrahim Babangida era, to civilian governorship in the Fourth Republic and subsequently the Senate.

At 80, Jang remains an influential voice in Plateau politics and a respected figure in national affairs, with his birthday drawing tributes from across the political spectrum.