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Tag: Ex-Senate President

  • Benue govt seals Ex-Senate President, David Mark’s FM station

    Benue govt seals Ex-Senate President, David Mark’s FM station

    The Benue State Government, on Thursday, sealed off the radio station, belonging to former President of the Senate, Dr. David Mark, in Otukpo.

    Joy FM, 96.5 Otukpo, established in 2006, was the first private radio station in North Central Nigeria.

    The station which covers over 7 states in Nigeria, due to its high frequency modulator, was invaded around 1pm on Thursday, with two trucks laden with armed Policemen.

    The team was led by the Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mr. Sunday Odagba and Mr. Ikwue Ikwue of the State Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Otukpo Zone.

    Staff on duty were said to have been rough handled in the process, while Mr. Oloche Adeyi, who was in the studio casting 1pm network news was forced at gunpoint to abruptly terminate the news in the bulletin, a culture that is antithetical to broadcast and media practice.

    Managing Director of Joy FM, Amb. Christabel Iyanya, confirmed the unfortunate incident to our Correspondent.

    “They came and took siege on the station and caused pandemonium, as nobody was aware of their coming or the reason they have to invade a running station with 2 trucks of armed Policemen.

    “They rough handled my staff on duty, right from the receptionist, Juliana Ameh, one of our old staff, Mallam Jibrin, my head of news, Cletus Ogbaje; and even went to the studio with heavily armed Policemen and forced Oloche Adeyi who was reading the 1pm news to stop the bulletin, at gun point.

    “They entered all the offices and drove everybody out at gun point. Unfortunately, I was away in Igumale, Ado Local Government Headquarters, to attend to a business. All our entrance doors were destroyed.

    “This is the height of it. I only watch this in movies. I have never heard nor seen a media house being invaded with such number of armed men, over what they call business premises. They said the station was owing N150,000 for business premises. This, we were not aware of.

    “The people who led this operation, especially, Ikwue Ikwue, is from the same locality with me, he sees me all the time, if my station was owing any bill, he should have told me and I would pay immediately. We have been operating for almost 2 decades and we have never defaulted in payment of any bills or taxes, whatsoever.

    “This is beyond tax. This is something they will have to explain to us. This stands condemned. We are definitely going to test this”, Iyanya, who is also the National Vice Chairman of Broadcasters Organization of Nigerian (BON), added.

  • Ex-Senate President, Adolphus Wabara loses wife

    Ex-Senate President, Adolphus Wabara loses wife

    Former Senate President of Nigeria, Adolphus Wabara has lost his wife, Felicia Wabara who died at the age of 69.

    Late Felicia died in the early hours of Sunday, April 10, 2022, after a protracted illness.

    The Secretary of Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, Emmanuel Shebbs, in a statement on Monday morning, April 11, also confirmed the loss in a condolence message, saying,

    “On behalf of the people of Ndoki, the Chairman, Ukwa East LG, Hon Chuks Wabara sincerely consoles with the former President of the Senate over this great loss, and urges him to take heart as God knows best.”

    Felicia was married to Senator Adolphus Wabara for 40 years. Wabara became a senator in 1999 and was president of the Senate of Nigeria from 2003 to 2005. He continued his tenure as a senator until 2007 when he stepped down.

  • BREAKING: Ex-Senate President Iyorchia Ayu Emerges PDP National Chairman

    BREAKING: Ex-Senate President Iyorchia Ayu Emerges PDP National Chairman

    A former President of the Senate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has emerged as the new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Senator Ayu, a consensus candidate for the position, took over the leadership of the main opposition party alongside 20 others elected into various positions within the PDP National Working Committee.

    The new set of leaders were elected at the party’s national convention which began on Saturday and lasted till the early morning of Sunday.

    Hundreds of party delegates participated in the election of the new national officers at The Eagle Square in Abuja.

    This is the list of the consensus candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, national convention taking place at Eagle Square, Abuja.

    1. Iyorchia Ayu- national chairman

    2. Umar Iliya Damagum- deputy national chairman (North)

    3. Taofeek Arapaja- deputy national chairman (South)

    4. Samuel Anyanwu (national secretary)

    5. Ahmed Yayari Mohammed (national treasurer)

    6. Umar Bature (national organizing secretary)

    7. Daniel Woyegikuro (national financial secretary)

    8. Stella Effah-Attoe (national woman leader)

    9. Mohammed Kadade suleiman (national youth leader)

    10. Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade (national legal adviser)

    11. Debo Ologunagba (national publicity secretary)

    12. Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel (national auditor)

    13. Setonji Koshoede (deputy national secretary)

    14 Ndubisi Eneh David (deputy national treasurer)

    15. Ibrahim Abdullahi (deputy national publicity secretary)

    16. Ighoyota Amori (deputy national organizing secretary)

    17. Adamu Kamale (deputy national financial secretary)

    18. Hajaja Yakubu Wanka (deputy national woman leader)

    19. Timothy Osadolor (deputy national youth leader)

    20. Okechukwu Osuoha (deputy national legal adviser)

  • UPDATED: How Ex-Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu died

    UPDATED: How Ex-Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu died

    Former Deputy Senate President and Plateau Central Senator, Ibrahim Mantu is Dead.

    He died early Tuesday morning.

    According to a report by Daily Trust, the ex-lawmaker died at a private hospital in Abuja.

    He was said to have been ill for nine days and died at about 2am on Tuesday.

    “He fell ill about nine days ago and was receiving treatment at home but he was rushed to the hospital when there was no sign of improvement,” a source told Daily Trust.

    The ex-lawmaker’s funeral prayer would hold later on Tuesday (today), in Abuja.

    Mantu was elected Deputy Senate President under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in 2001.

    Profile

    Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu was born in Chanso village, Gindiri District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on February 16, 1947. He attended the Gindiri Demonstration Primary School from 1955 – 1961 and obtained the First School Leaving Certificate.

    He worked with the Public Works Department (PWD) Jos, as a Stores Requisition Clerk from 1962 – 1963 before proceeding to the Gindiri Teachers College in 1964. On leaving Gindiri in 1967, he joined the Nigerian Tobacco Company Zaria in 1968 as a Quality Checker. He moved to BEAM, a Division of UAC Nigeria as a Kalamazoo Specialist Salesman in 1971.

    Mantu studied on his own to obtain O’ level GCE and Diploma in Professional Salesmanship which facilitated his movement to John Holt Ltd. in 1973 as a Trainee-Manager. He was later confirmed as a substantive Manager. In 1976 Mantu became the General Manager of John Holt Ltd. Maiduguri Venture. In 1977 he was promoted and transferred to Lagos as Deputy General Manager, Building Materials Division, John Holt Ltd. He resigned in mid 1977 to join Plateau State Supply Company Ltd. as its first Commercial Manager.

    Mantu holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree in Political Science from the Washington International University. He was awarded Honourary Doctorate Degrees of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, University of Jos, Madonna University, Okija and University of Applied Sciences and Management Port Novo, Benin Republic.
    Senator Mantu joined politics in 1978. He was elected Deputy State Chairman of NPN in Plateau State in 1980.

    He was a founding member of the Liberal Convention. Mantu’s overwhelming popularity saw him contesting the National Chairmanship of the N.R.C. in 1990 but was edged out in a surreptitious power play. In 1993, Mantu was the Director General of National Republican Convention Presidential Campaign Organisation. In 1998, he was elected the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct UNCP and was later elected Senator on the platform of the same party.

    The election was truncated by General Abdusalam Abubakar’s regime. In 1999, Mantu was re-elected in a fresh contest as Senator representing Plateau Central Senatorial district on the platform of the PDP.