POLITICAL JITTERY, AS CHIEF NANYAH DAMAN, CHAIRS NEW MEGA PARTY IN PLATEAU STATE

Chief Andrew Nanyah Daman has emerged as the Interim Chairman of the new Action Democratic Party (ADP) an off shoot of the long anticipated Mega Party in Plateau State.

Chief Nanyah, who confirmed this development to REALTY in a telephone conversation today, said the decision to make him Interim Chairman, was taken in a meeting held by the party’s stakeholders on December 26^th 2016. 

REALITY also just gathered that most political parties and politicians in the state are already jittery, knowing the political clout of the Chief.

You would recall that, Chief Nanyah Daman, as a journalist and Newspaper Publisher in the state, has been a strong voice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) immediately after the party lost the governorship seat to the ruling All Progressive Congress APC In the state. 

It is of note that the ADP has as its ideology, to bring power back to the youths and the masses in the country. 

More on the names of those that made the EXCO of the party in the state and why Chief Nanyah was selected to head the party in an interim capacity, coming soon!

Jonathan Ishaku, a victim of the inpunity

Former General Manager, Plateau Publishing Corporation (PPC), Publishers of The Nigeria Standard and Sunday Standard newspapers, Mr. Jonathan Ishaku, became a victim of the immediate past administration because of his insistence for contract's due process to be followed.

This came to light at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the immediate past administration activities sitting at Azi Nyako Youth Centre Dadin-Kowa in Jos, when he was invited to appear before the commission to explain his role in the purchase of City Line Express Machine to PPC.

While narrating his inexplicable suspension as GM on the 1st of May, 2014, Ishaku said, on assumption of office in 2009, there was a proposal by one Turac Investment for the purchase of one Machine called DGM Press at the cost of N396,000,000 that time, but on market survey, they found out that the Machine was already defunct and the company has been sold off.

According to him, in purchasing a press, cares ought to be taken interms of durability and availability of spare parts for the maintenance skills, hence what informed their market survey which they discovered that, the machine was not in existence in the publishing industry in Nigeria and has been faced out.

He said, "so, I wrote a Memo to the then Governor suggesting the most current machine in the market called City Line Express. The City Line Express, at that time was only One hundred and Fifty Million Naira, but there was no further discussion on it until 2011 when I was asked to forward again a request which I did.

"We requested the Manufacturer Representative in Lagos to forward the current price which was 1.5 million dollar (N228,000,000) and we attached it to Ministry of Information and the Commissioner now wrote to the Governor, dated 15th August, 2011 and was approved by Governor Jonah Jang on 3rd February, 2012 but petitioned by the first contractor.

" When I was asked to explain why we did not consider his proposal, I explained why that machine was not suitable; 1. The Manufacturers have been faced out. 2. The City Line Express is the most popular Machine in Nigeria now-many spare parts are available both locally and internationally and many newspapers have it and are maintaining it. I explained that to the Ministry, the Suspended GM explained.

However, while the process of MoU was being drown up with all the taxes and contractual obligations by the Indian representative were carried, the then Commissioner for Information and Commissioner, Pastor Yiljap Abraham, later announced to him that, the Governor have cancelled it because they understood that it was a small machine.

Ishaku, revealed to the Commission that similar machine and other items were advertised again and same machine was eventually, purchased at the cost of N378,500,000 against Turac Investment's initial cost of  N227,000,000 using the same specification.

To explain why the newspapers are Still not on circulation, the former GM said, " I left the office on May 1st, 2014 when I was forced out of office because I insisted that the contractor should follow our terms of contract. Even, certain aspects of the contract were bridged among which, was the resistance I mounted on the award of Pre-Press (Computer Plate Machine)."

Meanwhile, the Commission has ordered the Contractor, former Commissioner, former DFS, former Cashier and those said to be trained to appear before its sitting at the Azi Nyako Youth Centre Dadin-kowa Jos, to explain their various roles.

Hon Saleh seeks for synergy from the people of his constituency

Member representing Dengi constituency in Plateau state House of Assembly, Hon Saleh Shehu Yipmong has called for synergy and collaboration amongst members of constituency, for good development .
Hon.Yipmong made this called on Thursday on a courtesy call to his office by members of the Old students of  Government Secondary school Langtang .
He express hope that they will continue to support him so that together they can be able to succeed in delivery quality representation to the people of his constituents.
According him, his election into the House of Assembly was a great privilege which can come to anyone of them as the will of God .
Yipmong urged the old boys and all members of his constituency to support all the policies of the present administration of Governor Simon Lalong for the good development of Dengi and Plateau state in general.
The Langtang Old Boys Association in Plateau state has drummed support to the Member representing Dengi constituency, Hon Saleh Shehu Yipmong for landslides victory in the 2015 general polls.
The spokesman, Alh Ibrahim Usman Kuka encouraged the member to remain resolute and focus more on providing dividends of democracy to the people of his constituents.
The Government Secondary School Old Boys Association urged the Hon Saleh Yipmong to be good ambassador of the college and remain focus
He promised the member of their unalloyed support to ensure that he grow in his political career and remain unbiased while dealing with the general public.
Kuka expressed happiness that this courtesy calls would herald their confidence and rekindle the old relationship when they were still in form one.

Ignatius Longjan, Joshua Dariye, Arc. Pam Dung Gyang and others dump PDP for APC

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, at a ceremony in Jos on Wednesday, formally received former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye; a former deputy governor of the state, Ignatius Longjan; and a reported crowd of 343,190 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state into the APC.

While Mr. Dariye, who was governor of the state between 1999 and 2007, had announced his defection into the APC since September, the decision of the others to change camp was made public only recently.

Mr. Dariye was last year elected to the Senate on the platform of the PDP.

Other prominent politicians among the defectors were a former Deputy Governor, Jethro Akun; 2015 governorship aspirant, Jimmy Cheto; serving deputy speaker of the state assembly, Yusuf Garga; 2011 governorship aspirant, Pam Dung Gyang; former state PDP chairman, Maichibi Vwarji; and former Jos North local government council chairman, Daladi Atu.

Receiving the defectors, Mr. Oyegun assured them of full membership status as party faithful.

“The rescue mission of Governor Simon Lalong has just begun rescuing Plateau people into the APC”, Mr. Oyegun said at the ceremony.

Speaking on the economic recession, the APC national chairman appealed to Nigerians to endure the situation, stating that economic hardship will be history by the end of 2017.

“By this time next year, you will start having cause to smile and thank President Buhari for the good works he is doing. President Buhari does not talk much, but he is an action man.”

In his remarks at the ceremony, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, described the move of the former PDP stalwarts into APC as a homecoming.

“For me, these personalities who just joined us in the APC only returned home, and we will embrace them in warm reception,” Mr. Dogara said.

He also pleaded with Nigerians to bear the current economic hardship, stressing that the President Buhari-led APC administration has the capacity to resolve the economic crisis.

Mr. Dogara said the 2017 Budget at the national level will end the hardship of Nigerians.

In his address, Governor Lalong said with the arrival of the PDP stalwarts in his party, political opposition had ended in Plateau State.

The ceremony was attended by the north-central zonal chairman of the APC, Zakari Idde; Plateau State Deputy Governor, Sonni Tyoden; and state APC chairman, Letep Dabang.

PLATEAU ADP CHAIRMAN CONDEMNS VICTIMIZATION OF LGC DPMS,DFS AND CASHIERS

The Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Plateau State, Chief Ambassador Nanyah Andrew Daman, has condemned in strong terms the purported suspension and victimization of Local Government Council Directors of Personnel Management (DPM) and Directors of Finance and Cashiers (DFS) of the 17 Local Government Councils of Plateau State .

The ADP Chairman made the statemet in the party secretariat in Jos recently over the news going round that the Lalong Administration through the office of the Permanent Secretary Local Government Service commission in collaboration with the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftancy affairs has suspended the Local Government Staff for working for the PDP in the 2015 general elections and for quarries that have to do with payment to political leaders of the Living Administration who visited the 17 Local Government in the last 1 and the half years.

The ADP condemns the injustice done to the DPMs, DFS and Cashiers where they are paying for the sins of the APC leadership who collected various sums of welfare packages on tour in the 17 LGCs tour and payments to House of Assembly, Chiefs, Local Government Chairmen, Government House Officials and National Officials on special assignments or duties.

Why should the Lalong Government quarry the LGC staff for obeying directives and approvals given by constituted authority?. How does the Living administration expect the local government staffers to ignore their statutory responsibilities? Is it fair that the TIC Chairman of Mikang LGC to threaten and sack his Cashier for obeying financial regulation? How wise is it for the Lalong administration who claims to be brought in by civil servants to turn around to victimize the same workers, particularly widows?

The ADP on the Plateau calls on Governor Lalong not to increase the over 5 million unemployed Nigerians by sacking the Local Government Staff to avoid litigation and unnecessary waste tax payers money.

Plateau State Chapter Of SWAN Elect New Exco, As Yilmen Emerges Chairman

Mr Thadeous Yilmen of the Plateau Radio Television Cooperation (PRTVC ) has emerged the chairman of Plateau state chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria  on oppose.

He was elected in 2013 after defeating Mr Ibrahim Lot of the Nigerian Standard to claim the victory and has contributed to growth of SWAN in the state.

These  new exco are to pilot the affairs of the association  for the next three years they’re  include; Agabus Pwanagba of the authority newspaper ,Docas Gonne of Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Andre Dennis Bisyit of the Nigerian Standard Newspaper .

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Thadeous Yilmen said, “we want to think, we want to say is a continue fight without stopping until we fuel ourselves to achieve this great task of struggle.

He pledged his commitment to the state exco as was sworn-in,” we shall give accountability and transparency to the tenure of another three years”.

Yilmen urged the members of SWAN to observe 5 minutes silent to the soul of father of Jerry Udoh who dead came last night yet he witnessed the colourful swearing in ceremony of the exco .

He solicited the understanding of members and the exco to enable the SWAN achieve meaningful development within the shortest period of time.

The zonal Vice Chairman of zone D,Dan-Musa Mohammed revealed that today mark a turning point of fruitful experience to all come together to celebrate the victory of our own in the sports industry.

He advised the new exco to see everyone and members of one family and to ensure that they move the activities of SWAN in Plateau state to an enviable high by inviting more members to join them.

Mohammed congratulated the performance of the lack exco for making the state proud of building mutual trust amongst its members.

He reminded the new exco of no more crises in the state, but promised to revisit the state constantly renew understanding for peace to strife.

Profile Of New Edo Governor, Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki

Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki was born in Edo State to the family of Obaseki and Gbinigie of Owina Street, Ogbelaka Quarters. He is the third child of Late Pa Roland Obaseki and Madam Stella Gbinigie MON.

His early education was in St. Matthews Anglican Primary School Benin City. He attended Eghosa Anglican Grammar School, Benin City and proceeded to the University of Ibadan where he bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics. ……..

Thereafter he proceeded to the prestigious Ivy League Columbia University and Pace University in New York and bagged an MBA in Finance and International Business respectively.

Mr. Obaseki is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, Nigeria and an Alumnus of the Lagos Business School Chief Executive Program. He was nominated as a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) by the World Economic Forum in 2001.

Over the last 30 years, Mr. Obaseki excelled in his career gaining expertise in Investment Banking, Asset Management and Securities Trading both locally and internationally. Amongst the companies he worked for are Capital Trust Brokers Limited Lagos, International Merchant Bank (an affiliate of First Chicago Bank), AVC Funds Limited, Lagos and in New York as a principal of Equitorial Finance Company, a Financial Advisory firm with focus on Africa.

Mr. Obaseki led the core team that set up two of the new generation banks which eventually reshaped the face of the banking industry in Nigeria. He then proceeded to establish Afrinvest West Africa Limited (then SecTrust) in 1995. His expertise led to the numerous achievements of Afrinvest being appointed correspondent stockbroker for Nigeria by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 1995.

Mr. Obaseki, a solutions provider imbued with ideas, established the first derivative product, the Nigerian International Debt Fund (NIDF) on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which allowed Nigerians to invest local savings in US Dollar instrument (1996). He advised on the first global offering by a Nigerian bank through the issuance of Global Depositary Shares (GDS) to raise UD$50 million from the international Capital market.

Afrinvest under his leadership advised on some of the largest and most significant transactions in the Nigerian capital market since 2005 ranking as a major Investment Research firm. As a mark of the heights of respect he commands in the corporate space, Mr. Obaseki sits on the board of several blue chip companies in Nigeria.

Passionate about development, Mr Obaseki served as the Chairman of the Edo State Government’s Economic and Strategy Team (EST), on a pro bono basis, a position he held since March 17, 2009 until he declared his intention to run for the highest office in the state.

Part of his enviable achievements as Chairman of the Economic and Strategy team include:

– The formulation of the Edo State Economic Development framework 2010 – 2020 which introduced the culture of strategy dialogues and retreats in planning.

– Securing the N25 Billion Infrastructure Development Bond from the Nigerian Capital Market in 2010

– Obtaining the $225 Million Concessionary Rates Development Loan from the World Bank which has been a major funding for the current infrastructure development initiatives for the State.

– Successfully hosting Sector based Economic Summits and Policy Dialogue Series including the Power Round Table in 2010, Education Round Table IN 2011 and 2012 Agribusiness Round Table.

This sociable and likeable professional prefers a very low profile disposition to life and abhors ostentation. Mr. Obaseki is a sports and fitness enthusiast who is passionate about golf, loves to travel and enjoys good food.

Obaseki, a simple man, not desperate for many things is happily married to Betsy Obaseki nee Amachree.