Solomon Lar dies at 80

The first civilian governor of old Plateau State and  pioneer national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Solomon Lar, is dead. Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Jonah Jang, announced the death of the former governor yesterday in Jos.

Jang, who was moved to tears, broke the sad news to the newly elected Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Titus Alarms, and other members when they paid him a courtesy call at the Government Lodge, Jishe.
According to the governor, Solomon Lar died in a United States of America (USA) hospital at about 3:30am American time, during a protracted illness.
The governor, who fought back tears, said the wife of the elder statesman called him from the USA to inform him of the incident.
Immediately the news of the death of the former governor was made public, legislators and journalists in the hall quietly left the venue in pensive mood.