The Age Newspaper Online

A church service in Lantang South local government area of Plateau state has been disrupted by masquerades who invaded the premises, flogged the pastor and worshipers. According to reports, the incident happened on Sunday, September 18, 2022, during church service at Shikal village of Langtang South local government council area of the state. It was gathered that beating the people, also vandalised properties belonging to the church. A source who gave his name only as Nanpon, said the masquerades arrived at the church premises while church service was ongoing and started flogging those in attendance while also embarking on the destruction of church properties. Another source said the church members were awe-stricken over the action of the masquerades, adding that members did not do take any counter-offensive action, but gathered to salvage what was left of their properties. Elders of the village are said to be making efforts to get to the root of the matter in order to restore normalcy

PRESS STATEMENT IGNORE BEING DRAGGED INTO UNNECESSARY DEBATE OVER MARGIF It has come to the notice of Dr. Patrick Sunday Dakum's campaign team of the concerted efforts particularly by some forces in the All Progressives Congress, APC, Plateau State chapter, to cause confusion, discourage and drag our colossal followers and supporters into unnecessary debate over Mr. Yohana Margif's saga which is already in court, alleging that he is the authentic Plateau State Labour Party, LP, Governorship candidate for the 2023 general elections. We are calling on our countless supporters to ignore the judicial subjudice and give no slightest and faintest attention to the braying of our futile detractors, as there is no cause for alarm. Our detractors are already in disarray, and grossly scared out of their wits because of the great acceptability, remarkable pedigree and excellent leadership qualities of Dr. Patrick Dakum which are endearing the entire state to him. Their efforts are merely t

By Nangwang Ishaya, Jos.  Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum is the authentic, legal and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognized Plateau State Governorship Labour Party (LP) candidate.  This is simply because Dakum's name is the duly nominated personalty and submitted by the LP and his name is on the INEC portal,hence Amb Yohanna Yibpwan Margif's originating summons placed Dr Patrick Dakum as the second defendant while the Labour Party is the first defendant and the Independent National Electoral Commission, who supervised the primary election of 5th August, 2022 as the third defendant. Reliable legal sources revealed that before the legitimate Labour Party Governorship primary of the 5th of August, 2022, Amb.Yohanna Yilpwan Margif had voluntarily withdrew from the Governorship race on the 2nd of August, 2022, his letter of withdrawal signed by him and same content related to the LP and the LP wrote to INEC indicating his withdrawal and the need to conduct replacem

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has called for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Iyorchia Ayu, for the people of the South to feel a sense of belonging in the party. The governor made this call at the South-West PDP stakeholders meeting with the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Recall, Makinde together with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has been tackling the PDP over the National Chairman of the party and the presidential candidate who are from the North. However, in his welcome address, he described Atiku as “the incoming President of Nigeria in 2023.” Makinde’s description of Atiku elicited a loud applause from the PDP stakeholders at the venue of the meeting. He said, “The truth is that we do not have any issue either with our party or our candidate. If there are challenges they must be tabled. “We are supposed to give hope to our people, we want them to

By Ukandi Odey The Campaign Organization of Patrick Sunday Dakum, Gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in Plateau State, has accused Governor Simon Lalong and the All Progressives Congress in the State of fomenting crises in the Labour Party as a strategy to undo the popularity and acceptability of its Gubernatorial candidate. In a press release issued in Jos, the organization noted that “the Labour Party in Plateau State has Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum as its only legitimate Gubernatorial candidate and nobody else”. The Campaign Organization said “this clarification has become necessary due to the All Progressives Congress induced crisis as it attempts to sponsor a false candidate on the Party’s platform to whittle down the rising profile of the Labour Party and its rightful candidate, Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum, in the State”. The Campaign group warns that “anyone parading himself as the Party’s candidate other than Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum, is not only an imposter, but a complete fra

By Jatdul Jerry The Executive Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council, Hon. Bitrus Zulfa Rimven, has been impeached from office by the Legislative Arm of the council. The impeachment was consequent upon a notice of acts of gross misconduct labelled against the erstwhile chairman, which was communicated to him by the Legislative Council a fortnight ago. At a sitting presided over by the Leader of the Council and Councilor representing Pishe--Yashi Ward, Hon. Maina Nanzing, on Tuesday 13th September, 2022 the  Legislative Council voted to ouster the erstwhile chairman. Shortly after role call by the leader of the house, the Councilor representing Jat Ward, Hon. Dashe Yarnap moved a motion for the impeachment of the erstwhile Council Chairman, Bitrus Rimven Zulfa, and was seconded by the Deputy Leader and councilor representing Pajat Ward, Hon. Dindam Longbap Wuyep, after which the leader of the Council, Hon Nanzing Maina, moved for the swearing in of the Deputy Chairperson o

The attention of the APC in Plateau State  has been drawn to a baseless and wild  allegation against our great Party and its governorship candidate, Dr.Nentawe Yilwatda Goshewe by the long drowned Peoples Democratic party in Plateau state.  The allegations that our party in concert with a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state, Mahmoud Umar who heads the ICT directorate have perfected plans to rig the forthcoming elections in the state is not only laughable but totally bereft of substance. The ailing PDP is alleging that Mahmoud Umar who served in the same capacity under Dr Nentawe while he was INEC  Commissioner in Benue State has been redeployed to Plateau State ahead of next year's election to rig the election in favour of the APC.   We would have ignored the allegation as one of the daliy rantings and lamentation by the wailing PDP in the state but have to put the records straight because this is a dangerous insinuation which is capable of casting d

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has accused the Department of State Services (DSS) of terrorism over the arrest of Tukur Mamu. Desert Mamu, who is the Publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper in Kaduna, was until recently negotiated the release of some of the hostages in the March 2022 train abduction in Kaduna. He was arrested on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at Cairo International Airport, Egypt alongside his family. After he was repatriated on Wednesday, the DSS alerted the general public that Mamu was in their custody, stating that the spokesman to Gumi has questions to answer on the terrorism ravaging the nation. However, during a sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque, Gumi demanded immediate action from the DSS, asking the service to either release the suspect or quickly charge him to court. The outspoken cleric said the Nigerian constitution provides that anyone arrested over an alleged crime must be taken to court for trial within 24 hours. Reacting to how the suspect was arrested and

The Management of Plateau State University, Bokkos, has declared a `no-work, no-pay’ policy on its striking workers. This is contained in a memo signed by the Registrar of the university, Mr Yakubu Ayuba, in Jos on Friday. According to him, the decision of the management followed the directive by the Governing Council of the university at the end of its 50th meeting held on Sept. 7. The registrar said that the issues that led to the declaration of strike by both the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of the university in Dec. 2021, had been resolved. He explained that government had signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with ASUU on Aug. 9, saying that the eight issues that led to the declaration of strike by SSANU had also been resolved. Ayuba noted that the ongoing strike by the ASUU of the institution was just in solidarity with its national body, hence unnecessary. ”In view of this, the state government and

The Labour Party in Plateau State has Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum as it's only legitimate Governorship candidate and nobody else. This clarification becomes necessary due to the All Progressives Congress (APC) induced and crisis stocking candidate they are sponsoring to whittle the rising profile of the Labour Party in the State. The Labour Party in Plateau State warns that anyone parading himself as the party's candidate other than Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum, is not only an imposter, but a total fraud, whom the law will soon catch up with him. It is on record that the former LP Governorship Candidate in Plateau State has since been replaced with Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum in a validly conducted replacement primaries in Jos and Dakum's name sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the authentic Plateau State Labour Party Governorship Candidate.  Labour Party in Plateau State wish to inform it's teaming supporters and the well meaning general public in Plate

There has been an imminent fear about the credibility of the coming general elections in 2023 as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reveals its result viewing (IReV) portal has experienced attacks from multiple hackers across the world. The commission particularly said its system was attacked by hackers during the offshore elections in Ekiti and Osun which were held in June and July 2022 respectively. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said this while delivering a keynote address at a stakeholders’ conference on election result management on Friday, September 2022, in Abuja.  The conference was organised by YIAGA Africa, a civil society organisation (CSO), to launch the election result analysis dashboard (ERAD) report agenda. Yakubu said the commission has recorded several attempts to hack the cyber security system of the result viewing portal. “Another technical concern for us is the repeated attempts to break through our cyber security system for the portal. “Our engine

Executive Chairman of Kanke local government council of Plateau state Hon Henry Gotip, has been reportedly abducted by yet to be identified gunmen. A source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that gunmen stormed the residence of the Executive Chairman at Kwang in Jos South local government council of the state in the early hours of Wednesday morning and started shooting and abducted the council boss. The Council boss is also the Secretary of ALGON in Plateau state. Sources said that the Council boss was whisked away to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 1am. The Spokesman for the Plateau state Police Command, Alabo Alfred, when contacted said he was going to get back to our correspondent on the matter when he gets the details. Further efforts to reach him before sending this report was abortive.

Today, 7th September, 2022 marks twenty-one years of sad nostalgic memory of crisis precipitated by terrorists on the Jos Plateau. Arewa Christians and Indigenous Pastors Association ACIPA and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians specially commiserate with those who lost loved ones in that horrific incidence which lasted days, become protracted and become part of our lasting memories. The memories of Plateau Christians and indeed all lovers of humanity cannot be impaired by the false narratives to distort the reality of the age-long plot against indigenous peoples heritage, identity and cherished values. In commemorating the lives lost, the bereaved and those who have been rendered orphans and widows, ACIPA also acknowledges the sacrifices and patronage of true patriots of the Plateau cum Northern Christian ideals and common values. We are aware that the Jos Plateau is intrinsically connected to the political dynamism and greatness of Nigeria. However, ACIPA wishes to warn all proponents

Plateau Project 2, a political group made up of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, said it will continue with court cases to challenge the imposition of the APC governorship candidate Dr Nentawe Yilwatda and other candidates of the party ahead of the 2023 elections. Its also faulted the process that led to the emergence of delegates that conducted the party’s primary election which brought on board candidates of the party, saying the process was not transparent as there was no election in line with the new electoral guideline. The group in a press statement on Thursday after a meeting in Jos signed by its Chairman, Barr Umar Shittien, and Moderator, Chief Amos Gizo, said the party has never conducted election since it came on board in 2015 as it also imposed candidates for the last local government election in the state. Its vowed not to allowed the APC get away with the age long impunity which the party has perpetrated over sometime and said it is ready t

A Jos High Court has discharged and acquitted a former Governor of Plateau State, Sen. Jonah Jang, of alleged misappropriation of the sum of N6.3 billion belonging to the state. The court on Friday, September 2, 2022, also discharged a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Mr Yusuf Pam. Recall, Jang and Pan were first arraigned in June 2018 by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on a 17-count charge bordering on misappropriation of funds, criminal breach of trust, and corrupt advantages. The anti-graft agency alleged that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 315, 309, 19, and 22(5) of the Penal Code Law and Corrupt Practices Act 2004, (as amended). Jang and Pam had however denied the allegations. This development is coming days after former Governors of Plateau and Taraba states, Senator Joshua Dariye, and Jolly Nyame who were jailed for multi-billion naira loot were released from Kuje correctional facility in Abuja.

The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly summoned Pro-Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors, and Chairmen of councils of all Federal Universities to a compulsory interactive meeting scheduled on September 5, 2022. This was contained in a circular released by the Nigerian University Commission (NUC) on August 26, 2022, but obtained by today, Tuesday, August 30, 2022. The meeting will be mainly on the lingering strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Recall that the ongoing ASUU strike started on February 14 and was extended for another four weeks terminated yesterday, August 29, 2022. Last week, the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu said the Federal Government had addressed most of the union’s demands including the release of N50b for the payment of earned allowances for academic and non-academic and non-academic staff of universities but said the that the union will not be paid the arrears of the strike period. The union has also insisted on not

Bashir, one of the sons of Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, described the Academic Staff Union of Universities as a 'useless union' that should be dissolved and replaced with educators who care about students. This comes after ASUU decided to extend its ongoing strike. Bashir made the statement on Twitter, saying, "ASUU is a very useless union. They should be scrapped & replaced with educators that actually give a damn about students and how that translates to the future of this country." ASUU commenced strike on February 14th, 2022. Credit: Twitter | BashirElRufai Punchnews.com.ng

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani militia on Saturday, reportedly attacked the Bagai village in Bachi district of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and in the process, killed a middle aged woman identified as Mrs Lyop Dalyop. The bandits also injured several other people and destroyed farmlands and food crops. A member of the community who spoke on the invasion, said the woman who had gone to the local church for a clean up in preparation for church service the following day, was attacked and shot dead by the assailants on her way home. He said, "Ngo Lyop Dalyop was returning home from the church, the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Bangai, after she has gone to clean the place for service the next day. "On her way home, the Fulani bandits  who had been lurking within the vicinity shot her on the head as she was about  entering her house, before those within the vicinity could fully realise what happened, the gunmen had already disappeared leaving the woman in a

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has decided to extend its ongoing strike which has lasted for six months. According to reports, the decision was taken after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the union’s headquarters at the University of Abuja on Monday morning, August 29, 2022. Recall that the ongoing ASUU strike started February 14 and three weeks ago, extended it for another four weeks that terminated today, Monday, August 29, 2022. The union is demanding the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS). Following a meeting with the union two weeks ago, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said every demand of the union has been met, except that its members won’t receive arrears of the strike period. The union has also insisted on not calling off the lingering strike u

By Daksun Habila The President of the Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN, Rev. Dr. Amos Mohzo has said COCIN alone is enough to transform Plateau State for the better if its members live lives worthy of their calling as followers of Jesus Christ. Rev. Dr. Mohzo who was speaking at the COCIN Theological Education by Extension, TEE 2022 Annual Conference held in Gindir, Mangu LGA attributed the level of backwardness in the Church and society to lack of proper mentorship which he explained as, learning from those who are experienced in order to succeed. He called on the participants at the Conference to be teachable and humble by choosing Jesus Christ as their ultimate mentor and another outstanding human personality who is also learning from Jesus because the type of mentor you have will paint the future of the person being mentored. The COCIN President described the participants as fortunate and zealous people who are thirsty for the deeper knowledge of the Word of God which is being ta