A major political realignment took place in Langtang North and South Federal Constituency on Tuesday, January 14, as political heavyweight and pillar of democracy, the former federal lawmaker Hon. Beni Butmak Lar officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hon. Beni Lar, who represented Langtang North and South Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2024, announced her decision in the presence of key political leaders and stakeholders.
Among them were Hon. Ubandoma Joshua Laven, Commissioner of Works; Hon. Nanbol Rimvyap; Hon. Nimchak Rims; Hon. Joseph Langyi; and other prominent APC leaders and supporters.
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Beni Lar called on her loyal supporters and the people of Langtang South Local Government Area to join her on the new political path.
She said the move was aimed at strengthening unity and accelerating sustainable development across Langtang North and South. She also urged citizens to remain supportive of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang as he continues to lead Plateau State.
Trill Times News recalls that Hon. Beni Butmak Lar won the 2023 general election with a landslide victory, solidifying her strong grassroots appeal and political dominance across Langtang North and South Federal Constituency.
However, her victory was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, which handed the seat to the current occupant, Hon. Prince Vincent Venman Bulus, following the court’s ruling on structural deficiencies within her former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Hon. Beni Lar is regarded as one of the most senior and ranking female lawmakers ever produced by the 19 Northern States, having been elected five times into the House of Representatives by the people of Langtang North and South before her ouster by the appellate court.
Her long stay in the Red Chambers earned her wide influence and respect at the national level. Her tenure in the National Assembly was marked by massive recruitment of Tarok Youths into federal agencies, sustained empowerment programmes, and the establishment of no fewer than nine federal institutions and agencies within the constituency.
These achievements further strengthened her political structure and enduring support base.
This influence was evident at the defection event, as her formidable political structure and supporters overwhelmingly endorsed her move to the APC.
In unison, they pledged to follow her and called on residents to rally behind her leadership as she begins a new political chapter. Supporters described her defection as a strategic alignment with the centre, expressing confidence that it would unlock greater federal opportunities.
They also encouraged her to leverage the long-standing relationship between President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and her late father, Chief Solomon Lar, forged during their SDP days.
With her experience, political weight, and deep grassroots connection, Hon. Beni Butmak Lar’s entry into the APC is widely seen as a development that could definitely reshape the political landscape of Langtang North and South Federal Constituency in the days to come.
