The Age Newspaper Online

The desperation of the Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong to impose his preferred aspirant, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as the 2023 Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), against the provision of a level playing ground for all other aspirants, is no longer a secret. It is very sad that other aspirants who have committed their resources, time and energy to ensure that the Plateau Project remained a united front in 2015, which led to the victory of Governor Simon Lalong against the imposed candidate of then Governor Jonah Jang, late GNS Pwajok of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and also ensured his return in 2019, are now victims of the Governor’s ingratitude. These same aspirants have been mobilizing their followers and partook in the revalidation exercise of the APC last year. But the Governor appears not to be appreciative of their efforts hence, the decision to single out Dr. Nentawe who just resigned as a Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Indepe...

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s backers in the All Progressives Congress on Thursday pressed on with the moves to field the ex-President as the APC’s consensus presidential candidate. The Fulani group, which on Monday obtained the APC’s N100m presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for Jonathan, said on Thursday that it would submit the forms on Friday. The group stated this as three presidential appointees on Thursday challenged the directive of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), that all political appointees contesting the 2023 elections should resign. Also, there were indications on Thursday that the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, would not heed the call for him to resign before the APC presidential primary scheduled for May 30. His lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), told The PUNCH that if the CBN Governor was going to resign, he would only do so 30 days before the 2023 elections. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohamme...

By Valentine Adese  The Commissioner of Police (CP), Plateau State Command has arraigned one Yau Idris, Adamu Buba, Abubakar Abdullahi, Yusuf Ibrahim, Isah Husseini, Abdulkadir Sani, Abudullahi Adamu and Yahaya Inusa, over allegations of Terrorism, Kidnapping, Criminal Conspiracy and attacks in some communities in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State at the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos. The 8 suspects, arraign before the Plateau State High Court today, 13th May, 2022, included a Chairman of Mayetti Allah in Bassa LGA, were arraigned in Court on a six (6) Count Charge, to which they have pleaded “Not Guilty." On the face of the Charge Sheet, the counts include, criminal conspiracy, mischief, terrorism, culpable homicide, collaboration of traditional rulers or community leaders, and kidnapping, with all punishable under the Plateau State Penal Code 2017 and Anti Land Grabbing and Kidnapping Law 2020. According to the particulars of offence of Count1, which r...

A concerned Group of Muslims and Christians Youth Initiative of Nigeria has commended and congratulates Ambassador Yohanna Margif a Governorship Aspirant in Plateau State on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. The Leaders of the group, Comrade John Abok and Comrade Abubakar Suleiman in a Press Statement signed and issued to Journalists on Friday in Jos described Ambassador Margif as true leader who has demonstrates capacity by picking the APC Plateau State Governorship nomination form and successfully submitted same. The statement added "We want to specially commend and congratulates our Leader Chief Ambassador Yohanna Margif for successfully purchasing the APC Governorship nomination form and expression of interest as well as returning same and we believed that this development has further confirmed to them that Margif is the Next Governor of Plateau state by God's Grace". The group said they are ready to work and sale the aspiration of Margif acro...

  By Sunday Adam Plateau State All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Advisory Council has warned against imposition of candidates on the citizens, noting that it is contrary to the tenets of democracy all over the world. The council also said the situation had been agitating the minds of Plateau people and heating up the polity unnecessarily. In a statement, yesterday, acting chairman of the council, Danladi Wuyep, noted that APC had already come out with guidelines on members’ conduct during the primaries. It advised, therefore, that those who paid for forms be treated fairly and given level-playing ground to participate. He said “Where a consensus has been adopted, all the contestants must consent to same by affixing their signatures on a document, which shall serve as evidence of accepting the outcome of such a consensus. “There should be no imposition of a candidate on the people. Rather, personal interest should be buried to the Plateau project to excel,” the council stated. ANOT...

The All Progressives Congress in Plateau State has denied the insinuation and position of some of the governorship aspirants that Governor Simon Lalong and the party have endorsed a particular aspirant as the candidate of the party for the 2023 governorship election. The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Slyvanus Namang told newsmen in Jos that the party in the state still maintains its position and assurance of a level playing field for all the aspirants  adding that the APC on the Plateau strongly believes in the ideals of democracy which hinges on fairness, justice and fair play.  His words:" Our attention has been drawn to a press conference by some of our aspirants alleging imposition of a particular aspirant as gubernatorial flagbearer. As far as the APC on the Plateau is concerned, our position has not changed. Recently, two stakeholders' meetings were held. In the recent one, the governor appealed to all the aspirants to ensure that they don't go into th...

Plateau State House of Assembly has screened and confirmed four members nominees for the state Judicial Service Commission. This followed a letter by the Executive Governor of the state, Barr. Simon Lalong, seeking the House to screen and confirm the nominees as read by the speaker of the House, Yakubu Sanda during Thursday plenary at the Assembly Complex in Jos, the state capital. The Four nominees screened and confirmed are Barr. Tony Yonana Agaga,  Barr. Steven T.Abbah, Mrs Ziborah Ladi Mang and Mr Lankwap Henry. After due consideration in respect to the nominees wealth of experience and contribution to their various places of assignments, the members adjuged their antecedents as satisfactory and worthy of commendation hence, their confirmation. During the plenary, a bill for a law to Establish College of Agriculture Bachi and other matters there in 2022, as sponsored by member, representing Riyom state constituency, Timothy Dantong passed first reading.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off their strike in the interest of students. The President made the appeal at the 19th National Productivity Day Celebration and Conferment of National Productivity Order of Merit Award at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.   The President recalled his February 1 directive to his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, Ministers of Education as well as those of Labour and Employment, Adamu Adamu and Chris Ngige respectively to address the concerns of the striking aggrieved lecturers. ASUU, in a statement on Monday, said since the President’s directive was issued, no meeting had been held to resolve the call conflicts. ASUU said failure of the government to show concern about its demands forced it to extend the three-month-old strike by another three months.   The President also appealed to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), to exercise patience as government...

Goodluck Jonathan has decided to run for president in 2023, barely 48 hours after disowning a nomination form procured for him by a northern group. Mr Jonathan had on May 9 rejected presidential expression of interest and nomination forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) bought for him by a Fulani group. He later visited APC chairman Abdullahi Adamu, a shuttle his aides said was to distance himself from the purchase. Citing a credible source in Mr Jonathan’s camp, state-run newswire, News Agency of Nigeria, reports that Mr Jonathan has finally made up his mind to vie for the top post he lost to the incumbent in 2015. The source, pleading anonymity, told NAN that the former president has also joined the APC formally, having registered at his Otuoke Ward in Bayelsa. Meanwhile, Mr Jonathan is expected to submit the duly filled forms bought on his behalf on Thursday, the source offered further.   According to the source, the former president has secured the support of the requ...

By James Abraham  Justice Christy Dabup of Plateau State High Court on Wednesday ruled that the disputed statements obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the ongoing trial involving a former governor of the state, Jonah Jang, were not voluntary and therefore, cannot be tendered as evidence in court. Justice Dabup, who gave the ruling at the conclusion of the trial-within-trial after taking arguments from lawyers to the parties, rejected the EFCC’s claim that the statements were voluntary. Jang, who served as governor of Plateau State between 2007 and 2015, is standing trial alongside a former cashier in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf Pam, over alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to over N6.3bn Before the ruling by the court, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had called a witness, Sunday Musa, to testify. Musa, an investigator with the EFCC, had told the court Yusuf Pam withdrew cash running into millions of naira ...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has amended the provisions in its constitution governing the adoption of indirect primaries to nominate candidates for elective offices in line with the Electoral Act. This was contained in a document dispatched to state branches of the party from national secretariat. The constitutional amendment, affects nomination of candidates for the office of Governor, Senator and Member of the House of Representatives. Prior to the amendment, the entire members of the executive committees at Ward, Local Government, and State levels and statutory delegates were employed as an Electoral College of delegates in indirect primaries in breach of Article 20 (iv) (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the APC Constitution 2014 (as amended). It required an Electoral College of delegates democratically elected by members of the Party from the various Wards. The Party had to amend the old constitution or comply fully with the provisions of its constitution on indirect primaries requir...

  Political parties in Nigeria have asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the June 3 primary election deadline. Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Yabagi, made the appeal on Tuesday at a meeting of the electoral umpire and leaders of various political parties at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. Recall, days ago, INEC warned all political parties that deadline for the conduct of 2023 general elections primaries remains fixed for Friday, June 3, 2022. The electoral body stressed that the nominations for presidential and national assembly elections should be submitted between June 10 and 17 while those of governorship and state houses of assembly should be between July 1 and 15. Various political parties in the country, especially the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have made a lot from sales of forms for ahead of primary elections. The APC whose presidential form is N100,000,000 has realised nothing ...

  The Senate has amended the Electoral Act 2022, to allow ‘statutory delegates’, all those elected to participate and vote in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties. The upper chamber on Tuesday during a plenary having followed the expeditious consideration of the bill which scaled first, second and third readings, respectively, passed it to law. Those identified as ‘statutory delegates’ include the President, Vice President, Members of the National Assembly, Governors and their deputies, Members of the State Houses of Assembly, Chairmen of Councils, Councillors, and National Working Committee of political parties, amongst others. This development from the senate is coming some days ahead of various political parties primary elections in preparation for the 2023 general elections. It was said that the lawmakers had done this to allow them and others affected to be able to have a say during the primaries of their various political parties.   The bill to amend the 2...

*MY POLITICAL ODYSSEY AND THE GOVERNORSHIP RACE: NO SACRIFICE IS TOO MUCH TO MAKE IN THE OVERARCHING INTEREST OF PLATEAU STATE.* My dear People of Plateau State. Today, after prayers and deep reflection, I have made an excruciating, but strategic, deciwsion to withdraw from the race for the governorship of our dear State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Against the backdrop of the media frenzy and trending news that I would be purchasing the APC Expression of Interest Form and Nomination Form today, this is obviously a stunning turn of events. Indeed, I travelled to Abuja to purchase the requisite forms today. Additionally, many individuals and groups offered to purchase the forms for me. However, after series of consultations with several critical stakeholders in the Plateau Project, I decided to sacrifice my aspiration in furtherance of our collective resolve to ensure that the leadership recruitment process produces an outcome that is in the overarching intere...

•Contenders barred from taking party to court The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released nine guidelines for the conduct of presidential, governorship and parliamentary aspirants ahead of primaries. The contenders have been barred from going to court without first exhausting avenues for redress and ventilation of grievances. The aspirants are also expected to sign undertakings to accept the outcomes of the shadow polls and support whoever emerges as a candidate for the general election. The ruling party also directed them to take oaths not to engage in thuggery, anti-party activities, factionalisation or the creation of parallel congresses and party organs at any level. These conditions are contained on page 17 of the nomination form given to the aspirants. But of the nine conditions, most of the aspirants, especially presidential heavyweights, are uncomfortable with the “voluntary letter of withdrawal”, which they are expected to sign before a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary ...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will end its eight weeks warning action on Monday May 9, 2022 and is set to launch an indefinite strike action afterwards. According to reports, the decision of ASUU as to whether the union will embark on an indefinite action will be made known on Monday. ASUU had declared a warning strike action on February 14 and later extended it by another eight weeks which comes to an end on Monday, May 9, 2022 over their disagreements with the Federal Government of Nigeria. It was gathered that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the union had earlier given the go-ahead to the national leadership to call out members on indefinite strike if nothing tangible was achieved during the eight weeks of their warning strike. Just few days ago, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige disclosed that talks between the government and the union will resume next week. Since the Minister did not specify when exactly the talks will resume, it i...

Plateau State Governor Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has officially received the Expression of Interest/Nomination forms purchased by a political pressure group, Plateau Legacy Group to contest for the Plateau South Senatorial District Seat in the forthcoming 2023 general elections. The official presentation which took place at the Shendam Mini Stadium was attended by a large crowd of supporters and APC members from the six local government areas comprising the Southern Senatorial District as well others from across the State. Speaking at the presentation, Chairman of the Plateau Legacy Group and Member representing Pankshin, Kanke, Kanam Federal Constituency Yusuf Gagdi said the group is convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Governor Simon Lalong has performed exceptionally within the zone, the entire State and Nigeria at large to merit going to the Senate for further representation. Gagdi said the Plateau Lagacy Group which has membership across the entire State is passionate towards e...

The Appeal Court sitting in Jos has dismissed the suit filed by Plateau State Government and Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) seeking the court to end the tenure of Joshua Laven Ubandoma as Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council. Ubandoma approached the State High Jos in 2021 when Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) declared his seat vacant during the October 2021 local government election in the state, asking the Court that his tenure has not expired. But PLASIEC and Plateau State Government declared the seat vacant and conducted election in October, 2021 where an APC aspirant, Barr. Zulfa Rimven was elected as the Council Chairman. Delivering the Judgment on Friday in Jos, Hon. Justice, Ibrahim Ali Andenyangtso of the Appeal Court uphold the Judgement of the lower court that the tenure of Hon. Joshua Laven Ubandoma has not expired. He directed that the Council Chairman, Ubandoma be returned to office to complete his one year t...

Eight people have been reportedly killed and two others injured in Cinke and Zarama villages of Kwall district, Irigwe chiefdom, Bassa local government area of Plateau State as armed men attacked the communities on Thursday night. The State Police Command did not confirm the incident but the National Publicity Secretary, Irigwe Development Association, IDA Davidson Malison confirmed that apart from the killing, the property was also carted away by the attackers. He said, “Residents of Cinke and Zarama villages of Kwall District woke up on the left-hand side of the bed following the unprovoked attacks launched by Fulani Militia on Thursday, May 5, 2022, resulting in the killing of eight persons and injuring of two persons. The attack is no doubt the continuous perpetration of terror and mayhem in Rigwe land in an attempt to forcefully eject the peace-loving Rigwe people from their ancestral land as well as the complete annihilation of the entire tribe. “The attack has become a daily aff...

In what could be described as spectacular, the member representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (Danmalikin Kanam) Thursday, May 5, 2022 started his re-election campaign tour. Knowing the importance of the love and respect he has for party exco, delegates and the people, he felt it won't be appropriate to invite them all to the respective LGA's headquarters to notify them of his aspiration and solicit their support as has been the practice of other contestants. He chose to honour them by visiting their respective wards to meet with them. On the first day, he successfully visited eight federal wards starting from Ampang East in Kanke LGA to Langshi and Garram. From there, he proceeded to Tal, Chip, Jiblik, Lankan and Belning wards of Pankshin LGA. In all the wards visited, he had genuine endorsement by the ward party excos, elders and traditional leaders. They all cited his performance as reason for the endorsement. Such included boreholes...