Tag: Governor Jonah Jang

Lalong Constitutes Judicial Commission To Probe Former Governor

Simon Lalong, Plateau State, Jonah JangThe Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has established and constituted a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the financial spending of the two tenures of former Governor Jonah Jang.

In a press statement by the Director of Press and Public affairs to the Governor, Emmanuel Nanle, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry is to be chaired by a Justice of the Port Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal, Justice Stephen Adah.

Members of the commission include Prof. Mrs. Bibiana Bawa, Prof. Ekoja B. Ekoja, Engr. Samuel Onu Agamah while Alhaji Sani Yahaya Mavo is to serve as Secretary.

The Terms of Reference given to the Commission are:

(1) To ascertain all financial transactions, done or entered into by the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria or through any of its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), or official acting in its name from the 29th day of May 2007 to 29th May 2015.

(2) To ascertain and establish all financial allocations, funds, grants or monetary interventions and revenues which accrued to or in the name of the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria. Departments, Agencies (MDAs), Officials or Agents from the Federal Government of Nigeria or any International Institutions or Donor Agencies from 29th May 2007 to 29th May 2015.

(3) To ascertain and establish all loans granted to or obtained by the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria through any of its Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and the purpose for which such loans were obtained and whether the loans were used for such purpose.

(4) To ascertain whether any property belonging to the Government of Plateau State or any of its Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), Parastatals and Institutions which were sold or in any way concessioned to any person(s), or institution(s), by any Government Ministry, Department, Agency (MDAs), or officials between 29th May 2007 and 29th May 2015, followed due process or procedure and whether the proceeds of such sale or concession were paid into appropriate Government coffers.

(5) To ascertain whether any property or properties purchased or acquired for or in the name of the Government of Plateau State were purchased in line with due process and procedure.

(6) To ascertain all contracts awarded by the Government of Plateau State or any of its Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), Parastatals or Officials between 29th May 2007 and 29th May 2015, the process or procedure followed in the award of such contracts, the value of each contract (including any variations and whether such variations were necessary and done in good faith), the level of execution or completion of each of them and the amount paid to the contractor as at 29th May 2015.

(7) To ascertain the total amount paid by the Government of Plateau State as salaries and allowances of serving and retired State Civil Servants, Local Government Employees and Political Appointees from 29th May 2007 to 29th May 2015; And to further establish whether any person or employee of Government received multiple payments of salaries or pensions, and the role played by any person(s) toward such payments

Senator Pwajok Emerges Plateau PDP Governorship Candidate

PwajokSenator Gyang Pwajok representing Plateau North in the upper chambers has emerged winner at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos.

Senator Pwajok defeated 15 other contestants with 435 votes against his closest rival and current deputy Governor, Ignatius Longjan who polled 163 votes, another contestant, Victor Lar had 109 votes.

Due to some issues ranging from accreditation of delegates, process and pattern of voting as well as disagreement on venue for the screening of delegates; the exercise could not commence as scheduled until late in the night.

The exercise eventually commenced after due consultations among the aspirants and the electoral officers under the supervision of  Abdullahi Ohioma, who served as the Chairman of the Electoral Panel.

Winner of the primaries dedicated his victory to God with an assurance that the vision to move Plateau forward remains on track.

The Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang and his predecessor, Senator Joshua Dariye have both expressed satisfaction with the exercise.

 

Ignore NGF Meeting Summoned By Jang– Amaechi Tells Governors

Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has called on members of the Nigeria Governors Forum to ignore a Monday meeting summoned by Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state.

It appears the tussle for who really has control as the Chairman of the forum has begun as Governor Amaechi who returned as the Chairman of the forum in an election that was captured on video, is asking his fellow governors to ignore the meeting by Governor Jang, scheduled for 7pm on Monday.

Governor Amaechi told his colleagues that for the avoidance of doubt, the only meeting is that with President Goodluck Jonathan holding in the Presidential Villa, at 9pm.

In a counter response, Governor Jang said he is aware of the meeting with the president, but that the meeting he is asking the governors to attend will hold about 7pm before the 9pm meeting with the President.

It would be recalled that the governor of Lagos State who is in the camp of Governor Amaechi approached the court on behalf of the NGF asking the court to stop Governor Jang from parading himself as the governor of Nigerian Governor’s Forum.

Meanwhile, the sole administrator of the Jang faction; Osaro onaiwu insists that the 7pm governors meeting will hold.

Jang Vows To Unite Governors

A faction of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum led by the Plateau state Governor, Jonah Jang has taken time to explain what happened during the controversial chairmanship election last week.

At a meeting with journalists in Abuja, the faction maintained that Governor Chibuike Ameachi imposed the election on the governors.

Governor Jang said that there is a need for all the governors to come together to move the forum forward.

The governor has vowed to unite the governors.

Nigeria Governors Forum Crisis Is ‘Bad Omen’ For 2015

A legal practitioner, Onyekachi Ubani on Monday said the inability of the ‘First Citizens’ of the country, the 36 members of the Nigeria Governors Forum, to conduct a rancour free election portends bad omen for the general elections which will hold in 2015.

“There is really big problem for us as a nation.” He said.

Some members of the forum on Friday rejected the re-election of Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers as the Chairman of the forum. A faction of the forum, dominated by governors of the People’s Democratic Party, insists that Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state is the actual winner.

Mr Ubani while speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily described the crisis as appalling and sad. He also said that Nigerians are not happy with the forum.

“If 35 governors could not conduct … a free, fair and credible election that produces a chairman of their forum in a manner that is less controversial, then you can imagine when we have election in 2015 that involves the entire country.”

“It is very appalling, it’s very sad and Nigerians are not happy… It portends bad omen.” He said.

He said that Nigerians are not happy with that forum in the first place because the members of the group “have lost focus.” He added that the reason for setting up the forum is no longer adhered to as a result of members seeking after ‘self-interest.’

He explained that the NGF was established for peer review as well as engaging government in some of the developmental strides. He however said that this is no longer the case.

“The concentration is now on self-interest.” He said.

Mr Ubani said that although individual governors are trying in their various states, “Nigerians are not benefitting anything” from the NGF as a whole.

“People are not getting good governance as a result of that group.” He said.

NGF Imbroglio: Governor Ahmed Calls for Reconciliation

In a split in loyalty within the governors of the 36 states of the Federation over the just concluded Nigerian Governors’ Forum election, where the incumbent chairman of the Forum; Rivers State Governor; Chibuike Amaechi was re-elected with 19 votes and Plateau State Governor; Jonah Jang who is claiming that the election was rigged as he had 16 votes, are both laying claims to the position of the Chairman of NGF, the Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has asked that a peaceful path of reconciliation be engaged so as not to lose sight of the peer review for development which motivated the forum’s emergence in the first place.

In a press statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Governor Ahmed called on other State governors to shun divisive political tendencies and bury the hatchet while focussing on using the NGF as a platform for driving the intended development for the benefit of the people.

Governor Ahmed emphasized that a peaceful path should be taken to resolve any rancour within the State governors rather encourage discord amongst themselves.

“If there are issues as regards the election of the Forum’s chairman, we should use the same platform to resolve them rather than fanning the embers of discord in the media. Our choking security challenges should not be compounded with political conundrum,”

Governor Ahmed therefore called on the leadership of South-South Governor’s Forum, the Northern State Governors’ Forum, the South East Governors’ Forum and their colleagues from the South West to utilise their various platforms to strengthen the Forum and complement the leadership at the Federal level.

According to him, as a peer-review platform for good governance, the NGF should offer critical development advice to first term governors such as himself so that democracy can be made more meaningful for the people, stressing that deliberate efforts should be made to ensure that the system is not overheated.

Gunmen Attack Family Compound In Plateau, Kill Ten

Unknown gunmen stormed Kogwom village in Vom district of Jos south local government area, Plateau State, killing 10 individuals and leaving two others fatally injured.

The gunmen attacked a family compound where 10 members of the family were killed in cold blood while two others sustained gunshot wounds after which the attackers routed their escape through surrounding environs.

The special task force in a press release signed by Lieutenant Kingsley Egbo confirmed the gruesome murder of the family stating that efforts by the force and police to gain access to the scene with a view to combing the area for possible trace of the attackers were foiled by the locals.

Two members of the family were fortunate to be alive and are receiving treatment at the Vom Christian hospital.

Meanwhile, angry youths continue to protest the incessant killings in the area.

Reports from the community indicates that the family lost a grandmother few days ago and gathered for the preparation of her funeral which informed the large presence of the members in the compound as the assailants attacked in the night after a family meeting.

Reacting to the attack, Special Adviser to governor Jonah Jang on media and Publicity Ayuba Pam who was at the scene described the incident as barbaric and inhuman stressing that government will not rest in the search for lasting peace in the state.

NULGE Plateau Strike: Union turned down 51% increment –State planning commissioner

As the face off between National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the state government of Plateau state linger on, it’s rippled effect is being felt by the  children in the state as schools have been closed due to the striking local government employees in the state and on the part of the Plateau state government the neglect of  ways to resolve the issue.

And seven months running, the State governor  Jonah Jang according to the State planning commissioner Plateau state; Pamson Dagyat signed an agreement with the local government employees to give them 50% of the current minimum wage being paid to the State government employees which is N18,000.00 but also stated that an increment can occur for the local government employees only when there is an increase in the revenues generated by the local government and this the local government body latched upon to foment trouble with the state government by going on strike.

Governor Jonah Jang on seeing that there was resolution in sight, decided to offer the union a 1 per-cent increment to the 50 per-cent allotted them but it was turned down by the union and this was by the fourth month according to the testimony of the planning commissioner.

Political analyst; Nelson Shey said the NULGE plateau is an example of people trying to pull down the government of the day despite efforts by the ruling government to satisfy them, while the Director Centre for Advocacy of Justice and Rights; Gad Peter said although his agency has decided to step into the crisis rocking the state so as to put things in place in the state again but he feels the missing link is the lack of communication.

Northern governors caution STF over vacation order in Plateau villages

Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and the Governor of Niger State, Doctor Muazu  Aliyu has reacted to the quit notice issued to Fulani residents of Mahanga,Kakuruk,Maseh and Shong 2 in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local Governments of Plateau State, urging the Special Military Task Force (STF) to exercise caution.

The Special Military Task Force had on Saturday asked inhabitants of the affected areas to vacate their domain immediately with their property, citing military action in the troubled villages.

Governor Aliyu warned that the 48 hour ultimatum issued by the STF could lead to breakdown of law and order not only in Plateau State but in other parts of the country.

A statement by Governor Aliyu’s spokesman, Danladi Ndayebo said the forum is worried by complaints from a section of the region to the effect that the vacation order represents a declaration of war by the military against a segment of the nation’s citizens.

The statement added that although the forum is not opposed to any action that will put a stop to the senseless killing of innocent people in the Plateau, it warned that the region cannot afford the likely negative consequences of the order that the Fulani herdsmen should vacate the said villages without providing alternatives.

The forum further advised the STF to work more closely with Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State instead of issuing unilateral orders that could further worsen the already bad security situation in the state.

It said the current security challenge in Plateau State has provided the opportunity for all stakeholders to sit down and solve the Indigene-settler problem once and for all.

Gov Orji describes Senator Dantong’s death as painful

The Abia State governor, Theodore Orji has joined well-meaning Nigerians to mourn the death of Senator Gyang Dantong, a member of the senate and the Majority Leader of Plateau State House of Assembly and other Nigerians who met their untimely death last weekend through the bullets of unknown attackers.

Mr Orji speaking through his chief press secretary Ugochukwu Emezue, described the incident as a big blow not only to the national assembly, Plateau State government and House of Assembly but to all Nigerians.

He said there was no justification for such attack and killings he urged security agencies to rise up to the occasion.

He further described the death of the lawmakers as very painful especially at a time when their contributions in the senate and the state assembly are needed most. He sympathized with the families of the deceased and told them to take heart.

He also consoled the Governor of Plateau State,  Jonah Jang and the members of the State Assembly and the Senate who will surely miss their dead colleagues.

Mr Orji prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased eternal rest.