GOVERNOR LALONG PAYS LAST RESPECTS TO LATE AREN EGGON DR. BALA ANGBAZO.
Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong was among the thousands of sympathizers who paid their last respects to late Aren Eggon Dr. Bala Angbazo who joined his ancestors recently.
The funeral service which took place at ECWA Church Alushi, Akwanga Local Government Nasarawa State witnessed tributes from various top government officials, religious leaders, captains of Industry and sons and daughters of Eggon nation.
Governor Lalong described the late Aren Eggon as a father who used his knowledge, power and influence to improve the lives of the people of Eggon, Nasarawa State and Nigeria at large.
He said the late Royal Father served his people with dignity, honesty and selflessness which brought about rapid development in education, health, agriculture and human capital development.
He particularly appreciated the Royal Father for his role in sustaining peace and stability in his domain and the State as well as offering wise counsel to him in his political career and leadership of Plateau State.
Lalong while praying God to grant the family, Eggon nation and Nasarawa State the fortitude to bear the loss, said the legacies of the Royal will continue to linger in the land.
The Governor of Nasarawa State Engr. Abdullahi Sule, APC Chairman Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, among others were at the funeral.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 2nd August 2022.
Plateau State Governor and Chairman Northern Governors Forum Simon Bako Lalong on Wednesday 3rd August 2022 received the APC Governorship Candidate for Benue State Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
The APC Candidate Rev. Fr. Alia who paid a visit on Governor Lalong at the Plateau Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, said he came to appreciate the Governor for his support and encouragement throughout the process of his emergence as the standard bearer for the APC in Benue State.
He said since emerging as the candidate of the APC, he has continued to engage in consultation with relevant stakeholders within and outside the State towards the success of the party during the forthcoming elections.
They later held discussions behind closed doors with the Governor.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 3rd August 2022.
In the PDP, post-presidential primaries and nomination of vice presidential candidate crisis has paused efforts to raise a campaign council.
Some PDP governors and supporters of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State have reportedly listed conditions to back Atiku. Wike came second in the presidential primaries; he was the choice of the selection committee for the vice-presidential slot but Atiku chose Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, a development that has been raising dust in the main opposition party.
Thus, barring last-minute changes, reconciliation efforts and the setting up of the Presidential Campaign Council, will top the agenda as members of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, and National Working Committee, NWC, meet today.
Vanguard gathered in Abuja yesterday that top members of the party have been holding series of meetings to calm frayed nerves ahead of the meeting.
A member of the party’s BoT who pleaded anonymity so as not to “pre-empt the outcome of the meeting” said so much work had gone into the process.
The source said: “We will be meeting later tomorrow (today) to iron out all of these issues. They are not as serious as some of you in the media are trying to make it look.
“Yes, there are issues as is normal in politics. Our respected governors irrespective of the presidential aspirants they supported during the primaries are interested in the victory of the PDP in 2023 and have resolved to support the party to achieve this goal. Our collective survival as not only politicians but also Nigerians depend on this.
“The process of reconciliation is an ongoing one and will continue. We are all aware of the fact that time is not on our side and we need to expedite action on the setting up of the presidential campaign council.
“We need everybody on board in order to have a robust campaign. That is why we want to bring the aggrieved persons to the table, address their grievances and move on. It is our hope that by the middle of this month at the most, our campaign team will be fully on ground.”
Contacted, Mazi Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said the candidate and party leaders are working assiduously towards resolving all outstanding issues.
He said: “His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, as you already know is a committed party man who is interested in the unity of the party ahead of the 2023 elections and beyond. Discussions are ongoing and we are confident that we will put all of this behind us and make progress. “
Subject to ratification by President Muhammadu Buhari, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, will co-ordinate the presidential campaign council of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as director-general.
His deputy will be former Edo State Governor and ex-National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
In the opposition PDP, crises stemming from the presidential primaries and nomination of running mate has paused efforts to raise a campaign council.
Sources told Vanguard, yesterday, that APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima; and APC governors settled for the duo after a meeting in Abuja on Monday.
Indeed, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, after the meeting told journalists that a director-general had been picked for the APC presidential campaign council but refused to disclose the person.
The governor said President Buhari and National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Adamu, would be briefed before a formal announcement.
“This is a delegation of the Progressive Governors Forum, led by our chairman, Dr Atiku Bagudu, and the party represented by the national secretary.
“We came to report on an assignment given to us by our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate to begin the broad consultations and develop a structure for the presidential campaign council. We have done some work on it.
“We have briefed the candidate and his running mate and inputs have been taken and our hope is that in the shortest possible time, the candidate will consult more with the party leadership and brief Mr President and get his input and then we formally unveil the presidential campaign council.
“A decision has been taken on the director-general but other positions in the campaign council are still being discussed. The president and the national chairman and National Working Committee will be briefed before a formal announcement,” el-Rufai said.
Adams Oshiomhole, who attended the meeting, was reported to be the director-general of the APC presidential campaign council but he denied it.
A top party source told Vanguard yesterday that Governor Simon Lalong is the choice of the governors for campaign council D-G, with Oshiomhole as his deputy.
Sources said the choice of Director-General initially oscillated between Oshiomhole and Lalong.
Those pushing for Lalong argued that the APC needs a Northern Christian as D-G to assuage the feelings of Northern Christians in the party, following the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the party.
One of those earlier mentioned in connection with the D-G position was Governor el-Rufai.
Party insiders said the APC resolved to appoint a Christian as D-G of the campaign council against the backdrop of misgivings trailing the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. Governor el-Rufai is a Muslim.
Keyamo, Alake, Onanuga head media team
Meanwhile, the media department of the APC campaign council has taken shape.
“The media department of the APC campaign council will be run by a triumvirate of directors, made up of Dele Alake as director of strategic communications, Bayo Onanuga, director of media and publicity, and Festus Keyamo, director of public affairs and chief spokesman,” a top member of the Tinubu team told Vanguard, yesterday.
Member representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos has secured a court injunction at the Plateau State High Court, restraining Plateau State Government from signing MOU with Jaiz Bank on the reconstruction of Jos Main Market.
The Injunction which was granted on Tuesday 2 August, 2022 by Hon. Justice S. P Gang restraint the Governor of Plateau State, Plateau State Government and Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Plateau State from signing any MOU with Jaiz Bank pending hearing of the substantive suit.
The court order which was obtained by Journalists in Jos reads, “Court order upon the consideration of motion exparte date 1 August, 2022 and filed 2 August, 2022 supported by 20 paragraph affidavit deposed by Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos as well as counsel written address praying the court for reliefs sought after hearing Tyang Jugu Esq For the applicant. Justice Gang granted the court order as follows, ” An order of this Honourable court for interim injunction restraining the defendant/respondents by themselves, their agents representatives or privies from entering into any Public Private Partnership or any agreement whatsoever regarding the Jos Main Market pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory Injunction.”
SEN JEREMIAH USEINI GROUP TO GIVE CONDITIONS FOR SUPPORTING PDP CANDIDATES ACROSS PLATEAU AND WITHDRAWAL OF COURT CASES SOON.
In the last few days several stakeholders and some candidates of the People’s Democratic Party in Plateau State have been struggling to secure the support of the group members loyal to General Useini RTD with numerous visits to the elder stateman’s Jos/Abuja residence.
The leadership of the group sat and deliberate on the issues surrounding the party and decided to issue this statement and to clearly states that members of this group will reconvent soon to take decisive decision regarding the following: – STATUSCO of the leadership of the party after several court Judgements. – Conditions to support the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate and others. – Conditions to withdraw the (6) ongoing cases from the lower and appeal courts. – Refunds expected to be made to (15) Gubernatorial Aspirants belonging to the group. – Enforce the judgement delivered by Justice Gang on 26th,Nov 2020 and subsequently dimised by court of appeal. – Withdraw group members who were lured into kangaroo Commitees across the state. – To write final letter to the NWC of the party regarding unresolved issues within the state Chapter.
We wish to assure our followers and members across the state that at NO time did our group consider abandoning PDP or our Presidential Candidate,urging you to remain calm,patriotic and loyal to the party NWC and await further correspondences regarding future activities.
Emmanuel Macham JP. Spokesperson Integrity/Useini Group Plateau State.
GAGDI RECEIVES MORE GROUPS ON SOLIDARITY:DISCUSSES WAYS FOWARD FOR PKK.
More groups have continued to show solidarity and identify with the giant strides of the Member Representing Pankshin,Kanke,Kanam in the National Assembly,Yusuf Adamu Gagdi.
The groups who thronged the office of the Lawmaker,located within the Premises of the Gagdi Support Foundation on Yingi Rayfield Road at intervals gave encomiums on developments so far undertaken by the lawmaker which has endeared him to the people within and even outside his constituency.
Leaders of the different groups pointed at the various empowerment Programmes carried out in the constituency as well as the massive construction of clinics,town halls,palaces,police stations,schools and more which are spread across the three LGAs that make up the constituency.
They said they were there to identify with Yusuf Gagdi because at no time had PKK had it this good.They said he has shown uncommon zeal to represent his constituency which all can attest to by his sterling performance on the floor of the house of representatives.
The groups re-echoed their firm believe to work assiduously and ensure the return of the lawmaker to the National Assembly so he could continue the good work already going on.
Responding to the groups separately,the Member Representing Pankshin,Kanke,Kanam Federal Constituency in the National Assembly,Rt.Hon.Yusuf Adamu Gagdi,thanked them for the visits pointing out that it is his determination to touch the lives of his people with the little that God has placed in his hands.
He said those projects he has executed were the decisions of the people as information were always made available to him before embarking on any project so that it is beneficial to the people.
The lawmaker said the ongoing road projects with the towns of the various LGAs will continue while more in the areas of potable water which already going on will continue because water indeed is life as said.”We shall also continue the electrification projects as well as the educational interventions which we have started with payment of registration fees for WAEC,NECO and JAMB for our students.Very soon I will unveil my achievements with your support and prayers for the past three years we have been in office so that you the people can see and judge for yourselves the modest achievements we have recorded.”
Gagdi reemphasized his desire to turn around PKK for good stating that it is a contract he has entered with the people which is for good and will stand by it.
Amongst the 16 different groups from the constituency as well as a few who came for courtesy visits include :
THE CONSTRUCTION WORKS HAVE NOT STOPPED, AS RT HON YUSUF ADAMU GAGDI IS NOT A PASSING PHENOMENON
We told you, didn’t we, that the Rt Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, the workaholic representative of the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency is not a one-off performer?
Daily, the Federal Constituency is inundated with varying degrees of construction work, courtesy of Rt Hon Yusuf Gagdi. The men are at work for the benefit of the people.
Ordinarily, many had thought that the other construction works before now, were a flash in the pan. They had said he was doing them so as to get the attention of the delegates. In fact, they went to the ludicrous extent by stating that he would lose steam and beat a retreat.
They got it all wrong. They forget easily that he is a man made of sterner stuff, and such persons are always willing to help and make sure the lives of the people are far better than what they now enjoy.
So long as people will be the beneficiaries of the projects, Rt Hon Gagdi’s footprints are a constant reminder of the faith he has invested in the lives of his constituents in various aspects of their lives.
That is why, increasingly, his place and chances in the VOGA 2023 get more acceptable with each passing day. And to God, he is grateful for the support.
Imagine the recent additions with many more in the pipeline from the same source: Garga Town Hall, Dengi Town Hall, 25 stalls at the Dawaki Market in Kanke, Market Stalls at Gum-Gagdi, a Youth Center and Community Town Hall at Kwal, Meeting Hall and District Head office at Dokpai etc.
These are mouthful and are meant to emphasize that people are uppermost in the life of the representative, whose antecedents are all pro-people and are primarily geared towards changing the narrative about them as being backward.
The Federal Constituency will continue to be better because, as always, it is in God that we trust.
GAGDI CONGRATULATES MUPUN NATION OVER SUCCESSFUL CONDUCT OF NATIONAL ELECTIONS.
On behalf of myself,family,associates and the good people of Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency I congratulate the Mupun Nation over its just concluded National Congress that saw to the emergence of a new leadership to pilot the affairs of the Mupun Cultural And Development Association,MUCDA.
The culmination of the leadership of Chief Pedro Aridyel Dafur and emergence of a new leadership under Mr Alpha John Dakwak for me will see to a continuation of a people who have love for themselves and other tribes as well and continue to place the Mupun Nation among the great tribes on the Plateau,Nigeria and the world.
The outgoing National executive of MUCDA no doubt has performed creditably well by galvanizing all available human and material resources for the betterment of its people as can be attested to by the monumental achievements it has recorded.
As your representative,I look forward to working very closely with the incoming MUCDA leadership for the good of our people,PKK and Plateau State.
I wish to further reiterate the openness of my doors at any given time to continue to push for more development for our people.
I once again congratulate the incoming National MUCDA leadership.
SIGN RT.HON.YUSUF ADAMU GAGDI DAN MALIKIN KANAM,DAN MAJEN JHAR. MEMBER REPRESENTING PANKSHIN/KANKE/KANAM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY,NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,ABUJA.
REP BAGOS FINALLY FINDS CAMPAIGN BOOSTER IN JOS MAIN MARKET HAVING FAILED TO IMPRESS CONSTITUENTS
Dachung Musa Bagos, Member Representing Jos South/Jos East Constituency better known as “Member Representing Channels/AIT Constituency” (for spending his time on TV rather than in the Chambers) has finally found a campaign booster for his ailing, wobbly and unimpressive bid to return to the Green Chambers.
Bagos who has a high reputation for grandstanding and is a notorious specialist in using tragedy, misfortune and crises to access power and grab attention recently found the perfect booster in the discourse about the efforts to rebuild the Jos Main Market by the Lalong administration.
Although the initiative has not been finalised, Bagos who has been nowhere to be found in his Constituency and is in fact walking towards failure because of his disastrous performance, decided to latch unto the issue by creating, sponsoring and sustaining the false narrative and propaganda against the policy.
He went on to issue a press statement on 27th July where he made spurious allegations and raised politcally-infested questions about rebuilding the market by the Government.
Bagos also pretended to be patriotic by raising the mundane questions and even displayed his ignorance or mischief By questioning the powers of the Plateau State Government to rebuild the market instead of Jos North LGA since markets are under the Local Governments in the 1999 Constitution.
But he ignored the fact that the burnt Jos Main market which was built by the State Government in 1975 and managed by the Jos Main Market Authority (JMMA) has never been under local government or been contested by the local Government.
Despite consistent clarifications, explanations and engagement to put the records straight, Bagos and his sponsored hirelings continued to feed the gullible with the falsehood that Jaiz Bank will own the market for 40 years and that Plateau heritage is being mortgaged to Islamic Bank.
The facts however are different as the 40 years lease is for individuals that will buy shops from either the 40 percent of the Government (which is not putting 1kobo for the project aside the land) and 60% to be allocated to Jaiz Bank (which is funding the entire construction at the cost of 10 billion).
After he failed to gain traction with his propaganda, misinformation and disinformation, he has run to the courts to obtain an injunction stopping the Government from going ahead with the rebuilding the market.
This is novel, shocking and tragic. If one may ask, in what capacity is he instituting the action? Is he representing himself, House of Representatives or the Plateau State House of Assembly? Does he has the locus standi to usurp a Government policy yet to be implemented or even implemented by another arm of Government? What happened to the separation of powers? Well, the courts will decide.
While we await the court to determine his action, it is clear that Bagos who has gained notoriety in sponsoring protests and instigating incitements cares little about the progress and economic development of Plateau State but more about his wobbly political career.
We note that Bagos who gained political fortune by sponsoring and leading protest including the violent one that damaged the new Government House, has not made any impact in his Constituency since he was elected, hence his rejection by his constituents and by his god father at the PDP Primaries. It was only after his tearful repentance, begging, bribing and prostrating on the ground to the stakeholders that he was given the ticket again.
Now that he has no scorecard of achievements to use for the campaign, he has fallen back on his old tricks of using controversy, misfortune and deciet to try to hoodwink the gullible. He has found the Jos Main Market issue as his new constituency project that he hopes will fetch him another election. What a pity!
Now let’s ask Rep Bagos these questions:
What do you have to show since you went to Abuja? Are you in the same House of Representatives with people like Hon. Maje, Gagdi and Beni and Mwadkon who have shown their capacity?
How come it’s only after attacks and misfortune that you appear on TV or at the scene to shed fake tears or to grandstand and abuse Government?
Show us your performance card as Representative of Jos South/Jos East in the last 3-4 years.
What is your interest against the rebuilding of the Jos Main Market?
Why have you as representative of the people not moved a motion or tried to influence Federal, private or corporate funding to rebuild the market since it was burnt?
What do you personally stand to loose if the main market is rebuilt?
Who is bank-rolling your opposition to the development of your state?
Do you want to be on the wrong side of history by being remembered as the person who sought to stop the economic development of Plateau State?
Do you think this fruitless endeavour will fetch you reelection?
If you are a true Legislator, do you know the doctrine of separation of powers?
Are you happy with the way the market is looking now?
Does the land upon which the Jos Main Market market will be built belong to you or your family?
Are you now Member representing Jos North/ Bassa?
While you answer these questions, we pray God keeps you alive to witness the rebuilding of the market and even give you a shop or the money to go there and buy one thing or another. We assure you that no amount of intimidation, protests, court action or propaganda will stop the progress of the State under the leadership of Rt. Hon Simon Bako Lalong. Just like you failed to stop the British-American Flyover and Dualisation to Lamingo Roundabout Junction, you will fail more in this futile effort against Jos Main Market.
We advise you to look beyond immediate benefits and quest for political office and think generationally. You are still young and stand to benefit even more from the market. Not everything is politcal and in case you forget, every government needs money to serve the people. That is what exactly Governor Lalong is doing for the administrations that will come after him. He is thinking long term and you are there thinking not beyond your nose.
May God give you the knowledge to Think and Act Plateau.
Freelance Reporters 