GOVERNOR LALONG CELEBRATES CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI AT 57
Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has sent warm felicitations to former Minister of Transport and frontline Presidential Aspirant of the APC Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on the occasion of his 57th birthday.
Governor Lalong while congratulating the former Minister commended him for devoting his life to the service of the nation over the years and contributing to nation building in various ways.
He said Rt. Hon. Amaechi who is currently seeking to be President of Nigeria eminently qualified because he has shown capacity, confidence and commitment in all assignments he has handled including being Speaker, Governor and Minister.
The Governor also acknowledged the passion of Rotimi Amaechi towards promoting peace, justice and fairness as well as supporting and protecting the interests of the ordinary people.
While wishing him many more years of God’s blessings and divine protection, Lalong prayed God to grant the former Minister his heart desires and give him more opportunities for service to Nigeria and humanity.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 27th May 2022.
DR. NENTAWE YILWATDA DECLARED PLATEAU APC FLAG BEARER FOR THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTION.
By Prince Sekat, Jos
Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda has been declared winner of the just concluded All Progressive Congress (APC) Primary Election held at Langsfield, Rayfield Jos on Friday having scored 803 votes to beat three other aspirants.
After an intensive yet unfair election to most aspirants, a walkout of disagreement to an unjust election took place. Unhappy aspirants with no comment staged a walkout on the electoral process with some withdrawals to participate in what was seen as a “Rigged” electioneering process.
According to the Chairman of the Electoral Committee Hon. Habu Ajiya, Nine Aspirants were in the race but five Aspirants later sent their letters of withdrawal from the contest. They are; Sunday Garba Biggs, Dr. Sarpiya Danyaro, Sen. Hezekiah Dimka, and Dr. Patrick Dakum. Surv. Fitika who seemed joyous rather than dreadful took to stage and gave his unflinching support on behalf of the Ngas nation. Surv. Fitka was the only aspirant who stepped down in the race giving Hon. Nentawe the APC gubernatorial candidate his full support and Allegiance.
According to Ajiya, Four of the Aspirants participated in the election and they are, Garba Pwul SAN, Prof. Sunny Tyoden, Dr. Nentanwe Yilwatda and Hon. Victor David Dimka.
GOVERNOR LALONG CONGRATULATES PLATEAU APC GUBERNOTORIAL/HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY STANDARD BEARERS
Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has congratulated Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe for emerging as APC Standard Bearer in the Gubernotorial Primaries conducted at the Langfield Resort and Event Centre Jos.
Governor Lalong while congratulating the winner of the keenly contested election described it as a victory for the Plateau APC family which has again demonstrated its capacity to work together for the good of the party and the State as a whole.
Lalong said the outcome of the elections should be seen as a collective mandate which will bring members of the party together for the overall success of the APC in the general elections in 2023.
He admonished the standard bearer and other aspirants that were not successful to see it as victory for all as there are no winners or loosers in the exercise which is basically a family affair.
Lalong also extended his felicitations to various winners of the APC State House of Assembly primary elections also conducted throughout the State yesterday.
He commended the party officials, delegates, security agencies, media, INEC and all stakeholders for thier roles in ensuring that the process went smoothly.
The Governor urged them to sustain this tempo in the other elections for House of Representatives and Senate holding Friday 27th and Saturday 28th May.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 27th May 2022.
Plateau North Serving Senator ID Gyang has lost his Peoples Democratic Party PDP primary elections and may not be returning as Senator for the 10th Assembly.
Senator ID Gyang was unseated in what was a keenly contested Primary Elections by Two-term member House of Representatives representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency at National Assembly, Honorable Simon Mwadkwon PhD
The Upset in Plateau North PDP Senate Primary Elections as Honorable Simon Mwadkwon unseats Serving Senator, ID Gyang.
The Results had Sen. ID Gyang scoring 99 votes while Hon. Simon Mwadkwon Ph.D had 119 to be declared winner in the early hours of Monday 23rd May 2022 with the PDP primary elections holding at Langfield center in Jos Plateau State.
INSECURITY: GOVERNOR LALONG TASKS SECURITY FORCES TO CONFISCATE ILLEGAL WEAPONS
Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has decried the wide proliferation of weapons in the hands of non-State actors which is fuelling insecurity and heightening crime in the country.
Speaking at the Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship (NASAC) 2022 held at the 3rd Armoured Division Small Arms Range, Miango, Bassa Local Government Area, Lalong said the efforts of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in curbing crime are being jeopardised by the prevalence of small and light weapons in the hands of non-State actors who have continued to threaten national security.
He said without doubt, the Nigerian Army boasts of great men and women who possess skills and potentials that are essential in enhancing the national security architecture. They have demonstrated this over and over again by addressing several cases of insecurity where lives and properties are threatened.
He said “Let me also use this opportunity to request that the Nigerian Army and indeed the security agencies in the country do more to ensure that arms are taken away from non-state actors. The level at which un-permitted persons get access to arms and ammunition in the country is very worrying. This has increased the cases of kidnapping, violent crimes and terrorism across the nation. While I urge you to continue in this regard, I wish to also emphasise the need for synergy among security agencies for better results. In a society where criminals are becoming more sophisticated, we need to close ranks and ensure that no one is left behind. This includes the civilian population which also has the duty to provide necessary and timely information to security agencies”.
Lalong said his administration has done a lot to build the capacity of community and traditional systems as well as vigilante watch groups to serve as a support system to the conventional security apparatus at the grassroots. This he said has proven very effective as there is constant information on the criminals, leading to their dislodgement.
He expressed hope that the competition will present a veritable avenue for the participating teams to discover their potentials and sharpen the skills required to enhance kinetic operations of the Nigerian Armed Forces, urging them to bring to fore team work, discipline, commitment and professionalism in the cause of the exercise.
GOC 3rd Armoured Division and Commander Operation Safe Haven Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Ali said the exercise is a bi-annual event which brings together competitors from various formations of the Nigerian Army who compete for various categories in marksmanship and handling of small weapons.
He thanked the Chief of Army Staff Gen. Farouk Yahaya for approving the hosting of the 2022 NASAC by the 3rd Armoured Division and also making funds available for the event to be organised.
Representative of the Chief of Army Staff Major General Stephen Olabamji in an interview with newsmen said the exercise was part of the overall programmes of the Nigerian Army towards ensuring that officers and men are equipped with the right skills in weapon handling that will enable them continue to perform their task of protecting the nation.
The Governor later flagged off the exercise by participating in the ceremonial firing.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Executive Governor of Plateau State. 23rd May 2022.
APC Releases revised timetable for Election of party candidates at all Levels
The Ruling All Progressives Congress has released a revised timetable of activities leading up to the election of the candidates to fly the Party’s flag during the 2023 Election. This was contained in a Press Release signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Felix Morka, in Abuja.
Below is the full Statement:
ABUJA, FCT
MAY 23, 2022
PRESS STATEMENT
REVISED APC TIMETABLE FOR 2023 PRIMARY ELECTIONS
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, 23rd of May, 2022, approved a revised Timetable/Schedule of Activities for the Governorship, State House of Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives Primary Elections as follows:
***Thursday, 26th of May, 2022 Governorship – (State Delegates) State House of Assembly – (LGA Delegates)
***Friday, 27th of May, 2022 Senate – (LGA Delegates)
***Saturday, 28th of May, 2022 House of Representatives – (LGA Delegates)
Please Note that the Special Convention for the Presidential Primary will be held as scheduled on Sunday, 29th – Monday, 30th of May, 2022.
SIGNED Barr. Felix Morka National Publicity Secretary All Progressives Congress (APC)
Nigeria’s retired general and politician, Jeremiah Useni, has forfeited 1.9 million British pounds hidden in bank accounts on the Island of Jersey, a court in that country ruled on Thursday, according to a local newspaper.
Bailiwick Express reported that the Royal Court of Jersey seized the funds kept in four accounts at the Standard Chartered Bank over a period of 15 years begining in 1986 when the old soldier first opened an account in the name of “Tim Shani.”
It has since turned out Tim Shani is a fake name the former minister used in concealing his loot.
Mr Useni, 79, was a Lieutenant General in the Nigerian Army and close ally of late kleptocrat Sani Abacha under whom he served as Minister for the Federal Capital Territory. He later represented Plateau South in the Nigerian Senate between 2015 and 2019.
Former Head of State, Sani Abacha Former Head of State, Sani Abacha In 2006, a probe by the Office of the National Security Adviser under President Olusegun Obasanjo indicted Mr Useni. The probe report exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES said Mr Useni acquired real estate, hospitality, petrol service, and farm assets from illicit sources.
Two of the assets identified in the probe report – Tim Tali Motels, Langtang, and Tim Tali Farms, Gwagwalada – have names similar to the fictitious name he used in Jersey.
In 2001, the Standard Chartered Bank in Jersey wrote Mr Useni – who was then known to the bank as “Tim Shani” – that newly enacted stricter anti-money regulations required him to submit a certifified copy of his passport.
Responding six months later, he continued to present himself falsely as “Mr Shani” and then requested that the funds in his accounts be transferred to a Nigerian bank account. His request was rejected, and in 2003, the matter triggered law enforcement actions, leading to the freezing of the suspicious accounts.
After four years of repeated attempts by Mr Useni’s lawyer to unfreeze the accounts, he finally disclosed his true identity and his ownership of the accounts in 2007.
While making that disclosure, he claimed to have derived his wealth from multiple businesses including transportation, hospitality, petrol stations, property investment, and personal savings. He said he decided to hide his wealth offshore for “security” because of the instability in Nigeria.
The businesses he cited as sources of his wealth were similar to those listed by the Obasanjo era probe as having been illegally acquired in Nigeria.
He was said to have provided no information about his income in the 1980s and 1990s to explain the provenance of his wealth but he said he had used the non existent “Tim Shani” to open the accounts based on advice from his agent to use a “coded password name”
Jersey’s Attorney General concluded that he had done so to hide his connection with the funds and conceal their likely criminal source.
“The Attorney General believes that the Shani accounts were created to hold, hide and conceal bribes or other proceeds of corruption received by Useni during the period he held office,” Bailiwick Express quoted the court as saying before ordering the forfeited funds be transferred to Jersey’s Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund.
“The payments into the Shani accounts were more likely than not for the purposes or on account of exercising political influence over the award of lucrative contracts to foreign and Nigerian companies for the supply of industrial or commercial services in Nigeria.”
Mr Useni’s Jersey lawyer had reportedly tried to explain the source of the funds as cash gifts from friends and well-wishers during festive seasons in accordance with Nigerian culture. In addition, the lawyer claimed there was no Code of Conduct for public officers in Nigeria at the time the purported gifts were received.
The court rejected the explanations as absurd and incredible.
“The affidavits of [Gen Useni] have not satisfied the Court that the property held in the bank accounts is not tainted property and on the application of the Attorney General, we will make a Forfeiture Order in relation to that property,” the court concluded, according to Bailiwick Express.
Between 2003 and 2020, at least $470 million – stolen and laundered through the U.S. by late Mr Abacha and family and associates such as Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu – was repatriated to Nigeria from Jersey.
However, the court did not rule that the 1.9 million pounds recovered from Mr Useni be transferred to Nigeria.
Mr Useni did not answer calls or reply a text message seeking his comment on Friday.
He harbours no grudges and has no intention to be a Governor of a divided house nor does he nurse ill feelings against any soul whatsoever.
If only because of his experience in public service, stable character,knowledge in security,/skills in revenue generation,and that he contributed to the building of his community and his people,then he is unblemished.
For he served Nigeria meritoriously with good records in customs. He will only need to consolidate on the noble policies of the Rescue Mission of Governor Simon Bako Lalong,and he will make decisions that will unite the party and the state for a SECURED, PROSPEROUS,AND UNITED PLATEAU ANCHORED ON THE FEAR OF GOD.
For posterity sake, let’s not be carried away by those who sing praises during election, provide us with mere seat, inelastic relationship, perishable food items with corrupt intention to put us on our feets tomorrow.
Tell me that man you consider most perfect.I will tell you that Nde.Victor Dimka fsi is far better. He is Better than those pretending to be generous and disguising as the BEST ever.
GOVERNOR LALONG RECEIVES REPORT ON CREATION OF DEVELOPMENT AREAS IN PLATEAU STATE
The Executive Governor of Plateau State Rt Hon Simon Bako Lalong has received the Report of the Committee set up to review the establishment of Development Areas in Plateau State.
Members of the Committee were received on behalf of the Governor by Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS) Prof Danladi Abok Atu who appreciated the Chairman and Members of the Committee for the successful execution of their assignment.
Prof. Atu said the creation of Development Areas in Plateau State is of great importance to the Governor as it constitutes part of his philosophy of inclusive governance which presents the grassroots with an opportunity to directly be involved in governing process.
Prof Atu informed the committee about the recent release of reports on the newly created Districts and Chiefdoms were announced during the week. He said both Districts and Development Areas are very critical as they will help in improving security as well as promoting development in the rural areas.
The SGS then assured the committee that the report will not just rest on the shelf, as the Government will study it and implement its recommendations.
Chairman of the Committee, Mr Litta Dafan Shindai expressed the appreciation of the committee to the Executive Governor of Plateau State for finding them worthy to carry out the very crucial assignment.
Mr. Shindai stated that bringing development nearer to the people and the people nearer to Government as well as the provision of social services that will have a direct bearing on the lives of the citizens of the state will be possible with the creation of the Development Areas.
The Committee was set up on the 23rd of April 2021 by Governor Simon Lalong and was inaugurated on the 7th of May 2021 by the SGS.
Among other things, the Committe made the following recommendations:
1. The creation of an additional three (3) Development Areas to be added to the Fifty-two (52) earlier set aside by the previous administration, bringing the total to Fifty-five (55).
2. That a sustainable fiscal policy is adopted thus:
i. 10% of the State Gross Statutory Allocation be allocated to Development Areas on monthly basis for capital projects.
ii. Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) realized by the Development areas should be shared on an agreed determinable ratio between the Local Government Councils and Development Areas.
iii. The Local Government Council Law 2018 should be amended to accommodate suggestions 1&2 above.
3. The appointment of people with reputable character to manage the affairs of Local Government Development Areas.
The process for the creation of Development Areas is in compliance with provisions of the Local Government law, 2018 particularly sections 60 & 61.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 21st May 2022.
Dr Nentawe Yilwatda was adjudged the people’s favourite when he came tops among 43 governorship aspirants, scoring 70 per cent in the survey organised by the Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN). Dr Yilwatda score total of 193 in the survey across the political parties, making him number one of the people’s choice. PIDAN is development initiative organization that aims to entrench democracy, encourage investment and economic development in Plateau state. The second highest score behind Yilwatda was Prof Dakas C Dallas who scored 186. Following that is Dr Patrick Dakum who scored 154; Prof Sonni G Tyoden, 138, Mr. Sunday Biggs, 113; Mr. Later Dabang, 103 and others. Dr Yilwatda excelled in all the criteria and won across the different parts of the state, cutting across ethnic and religious lines, as Plateau is desirable of a patriotic, competent and visionary citizen that would succeed Governor Simon Lalong to continue with the development trajectory in the state. The survey carried out by PIDAN included inputs from the 53 nationalities in Plateau State. Recall that the position of PIDAN in 2014 against the sitting government of Governor Jona Jang’s government led to the sacking of the government and his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). PIDAN is a neutral body that does not lean on any political party, hence the credibility of its surveys and that is why this survey includes aspirants of APC, PDP and other political parties that indicated interest to vie for the governorship of Plateau State irrespective of whether they purchased form or not. Statement from PIDAN’s secretariat, signed by its National President, Prof Aboi Madaki urged community development association leaders to use the survey as a guide, as it reflects the choice of the people of the state. “The survey represents the complete and collective opinion of the Community Development Associations (CDAs) Leadership. This ranking report, which is meant to help Community Development Associations Leadership, should advise their subjects with respect to their engagement in the political process. It will also help the national PIDAN leadership and its related supporting organisations in deciding the direction to follow in both primary and the general elections. The leadership will use this ranking report to advise political parties and key stakeholders on the need to bring in stronger rather than weak candidates as their flag bearers. We hope to be active partners with the political parties in bringing in strong flag bearers and by extension a better person as the Governor of the State,” the group said.
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