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Tag: Jonah Jang

  • Jang, Kwande, others urge support for Gov. Mutfwang

    Jang, Kwande, others urge support for Gov. Mutfwang

    Sen. Jonah Jang, former governor of Plateau, Amb. Yahaya Kwande and other stakeholders have called on residents of the state to support Gov. Caleb Mutfwang’s bid to make Plateau a model.

    The stakeholders spoke during a grand reception organised for the governor on Saturday in Jos.

    Jang, while congratulating the governor on his victory at the Supreme Court, described the apex court’s judgment as “victory for democracy”.

    He commended the people of the state for their prayers and love for Mutfwang.

    Jang urged Mutfwang to unite the people and be fair to all.

    ”I want to also plead with our religious leaders to pray and support this administration; they should lead the charge to unite people in their various places of worship,” he appealed.

    Jang appealed to the governor to carve a niche for himself and place the state on the path to steady growth and development.
    On his part, Kwande commended the governor for starting on a good note and hitting the ground running since he assumed office.

    ”We thank God for giving us a workaholic as governor. Mutfwang is a man of charisma, faith and truth. We are lucky to have him at this time.

    ”I implore all Plateau people to support the governor to succeed on the mission that God has placed on his shoulders,” he said.

    Also speaking, Sen. Simon Mwadkwon, former minority leader in the Senate, said that the victory of Mutfwang at the supreme court was for the people of Plateau.
    He cautioned the people against allowing politicians to use religion to manipulate and divide them.

    ”Of late, we have seen how people use religion to manipulate the gullible. Let us not allow them to succeed.

    ”Let the bond of love and unity keep us together. We must distant ourselves from anyone who wants to use religion to divide us,” he said.

    Earlier, Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, Gabriel Dawan, had said that the time of politics was over.

    “It is now a time of service, The assembly will support the governor to deliver on good governance to the people.

    ”I want to assure you that the legislative arm will give the governor all the support needed to succeed.

    ”I have confidence in the governor; since I became Speaker, we have worked closely and I know he has come to give good governance to Plateau people,” he said.

  • Jonah Jang denies advising Gov. Mutfwang to resign

    Jonah Jang denies advising Gov. Mutfwang to resign

    Sen. Jonah Jang, the former governor of Plateau has denied the allegation making the rounds that he advised Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, to resign his position as governor of the state.

    Jang denied the allegation in a statement by his Media Consultant, Mr Clinton Garuba, issued on Thursday in Jos.

    A media report attributed to one Bulus Deme and published in some national dailies alleged that Jang advised the governor to resign and give way to Nentawe Yilwatda.

    Yilwatda is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last governorship election in the state.

    But Jang, a two-term governor of Plateau described the allegation as false and merely fabricated to distract governor Mutfwang from the good works he had started in the state.

    ”It is absurd that anyone would even imagine that Jang will ever think of advising Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, who is raising the bar of governance to a new level in Plateau, to hand over to someone the people of Plateau did not vote for.

    ”It goes to say that APC is bent on taking power through the back door, but we believe our God never sleeps nor slumber and will not allow us to return to our dark days.

    ”It is unthinkable to ask a governor that has surpassed the achievement of his immediate predecessor just after six months in office to resign.

    ”For the avoidance of doubt, the entire write-up is completely false and only exist in the writer’s imagination,” Clinton quoted Jang.

    The elder statesman also expressed rude shock over the recent Appeal Court judgments that sacked Mutfwang and some members of the National Assembly from Plateau.

    Jang, who described the judgments as a ”miscarriage of justice”, called on the Supreme Court to consider the merits of the cases with a view of reversing them.

    ”Just like any well-meaning lover of democracy, I am at lost as to why the appeal court took a decision that contradicts the 2023 Electoral Act and other cases already decided by the Supreme Court.

    ”I believe that these judgements are total miscarriage of justice, but as a firm believer in the judiciary I trust that the highest court of the land will reverse this injustice,” Jang said.

    The former governor, however, appealed to the people of the state to remain calm and peaceful at all times, insisting that God will not fail the state.

  • N6.3bn fraud: I am finally vindicated – Jonah Jang

    N6.3bn fraud: I am finally vindicated – Jonah Jang

    The former Governor of Plateau, Sen. Jonah Jang, says he has been vindicated from corruption charges proffered against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    A Plateau High Court sitting in Jos, on Friday, discharged and acquitted Jang and Yusuf Pam, a former cashier with the Plateau Government of all the 17 count charges on diversification and mismanagement of N6.3billion.
    Jang in a reaction to the judgment delivered by Justice Christen Dabup, said that he did his best via prudent management of the resources available to them such that the average Plateau citizen could eke a living for himself.
    The former governor said that it was,  however, unfortunate that the champions of retrogression and enablers of hardship for the people, came after him and his lieutenants with bogus and fictitious claims of mismanagement.
    “Thereby necessitating a protracted judicial journey of over four years, trying to prove our innocence in the courts.
    “In the course of this travail, I spent over a week in EFCC detention and another ten days in the Jos Custodial Centre (prison).
    “Those times we spent there gave us another perspective on life and I count it a blessing because it has all ended today with this loud and clear vindication by the courts.
    “The tortuous journey leading to my vindication today has only strengthened me to stand more on the path of truth and continue to work assiduously with well-meaning people for the good of our dear state, Plateau, and the nation at large,” he stated.
    He further said that he would hold no grudge against anyone as he consider whatever he went through as the price he had to pay for choosing the path of leadership.
    He thank God for seeing him through the travail and called on all Plateau sons and daughters, including people of goodwill in Plateau, not to wish leaders bad.
    “I dedicate my victory in the court to God and the people of Plateau with whom we worked to build a prosperous land.
    “I thank the entire legal team led by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Mr. Edward Pwajok (SAN), my family who suffered all kinds of harassment and denigration through this period for standing firm and believing with me that it was only a phase that would pass.
    “I am deeply grateful to my friends and associates for upholding me and all those who were persecuted alongside me in prayers and for their commitment to true friendship and camaraderie.
    “I must thank the Judiciary for standing firm on the side of truth and justice not forgetting the press on the Plateau for their unbiased coverage,” he added.
    Meanwhile, Sen. Istifanus Gyang (PDP/Plateau North) described the discharge and acquittal of Sen. Jonah Jang and Yusuf Pam of all corruption charges by a Jos High Court as a divine vindication.
    Gyang said that the outcome of the trial indicates that the Nigerian judiciary could still be relied upon for fair and just adjudication and justice administration.
    Members of House Representatives (PDP/Barkin Ladi/Riyom), Rep. Simon Mwadkon, described the verdict as a landmark judgment.
  • BREAKING NEWS: Court acquits Jang of N6.3bn corruption charge

    BREAKING NEWS: Court acquits Jang of N6.3bn corruption charge

    An High Court sitting in Jos, Plateaus State, on Friday discharged and acquitted a former Governor of the state, Jonah Jang, over the N6.3 billion corruption charges levelled against him by the EFCC.

    The court presided over by Justice Christy Dabup also discharged and acquitted a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the Plateau state government, Yusuf Pam, who was accused alongside the former governor.

    Details later…

  • You need Wike to win 2023 presidential election – Jang warns Atiku

    You need Wike to win 2023 presidential election – Jang warns Atiku

    A former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang has send a warning to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to work with Nyesom Wike ahead of the 2023 presidential.

    Wike and Atiku have been at war since the conclusion of PDP presidential primaries.

    Rivers State Governor, Wike who came second during the presidential primaries, fell out with Atiku after he picked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

    Reacting to the crisis Jang cautioned Atiku against ignoring Wike.

    He spoke in Rivers State during the flag-off of the construction of Omagwa internal roads in the State.

    According to Jang: “I want to call on our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to close ranks with all members, particularly members of your (Wike) group of which I’m proudly one. Doing this will guarantee victory in 2023 general elections.

    “These men and women, as I have said, worked hard to build this party and they cannot just be wished away overnight.

    “We need to come together, settle our differences by recognising that you need each and every one of us for you to win the general election.”

  • ‘Defeat imminent for PDP, unless we unite’ – Jang to party

    A former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, has called on the PDP to unite or face defeat in the hands of the APC in next year’s general elections.

    He urged the national leadership of the party to adopt a unified approach in resolving the controversy surrounding the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    Jang gave the advice in a statement he issued on Friday in Jos, the Plateau State Capital.

    The former Governor noted that it was wrong for the party and its presidential candidate to abandon Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who came second in the party’s presidential primaries.

    He noted that the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the running mate to Atiku was a mistake that must be corrected to enable the party move forward.

    Related Story: 

    Jang stressed in the statement that; “As one of the founding fathers alive today, one who participated in the processes that set the background for our primaries, I am compelled to add my voice to that of prominent members of our great party who have shown dismay with recent happenings, particularly with the emergence of the Vice Presidential candidate.

    “While it is no longer news that the presidential primaries have come and gone and a candidate emerged, it is disheartening that the manner in which the vice presidential candidate emerged is nothing but sheer disregard for processes. We all are aware of the fact that the party, in consultation with the presidential candidate, set up a committee to select a running mate.

    “To turn around and throw away the outcome of the exercise is a clear proof that the work of the committee was either not appreciated or was not going to be in consideration ab initio. To quote Governor Samuel Ortom who was a member of the 17-member committee set up by Atiku to recommend a running mate for him, he said ‘Fourteen of us in the committee said the person should be Nyesom Wike, unfortunately, Atiku picked Okowa in his wisdom.’

    “You cannot ignore a decision of a committee you set up yourself and expect people to be happy.”

    “We cannot disregard people who have dedicated themselves to building the party and expect to make meaningful progress.

    “That such people are treated the way the party is currently doing is a pointer to the fact that more is to come. No one who intends to go against the APC, which has failed in its promises but thrives on propaganda, will go with a divided camp.

    “This explains the urgency with which the party ought to retrace its step in the right direction with a hope of salvaging the already bad situation within the shortest time.”

    He enjoined stakeholders and the party as a whole to rise in defence of the truth as a way of assuring their teeming supporters of the seriousness of the PDP to wrest power from the APC and end the bad governance which had become the order of the day.

    “We cannot fold our hands and watch the party drift away from the tenets which have made it the only truly democratic party in Nigeria. The whims of a few should not be allowed to override the choices of many who believe in the PDP and its ability to return Nigeria to the glorious days.”

  • Former Plateau governor, Jonah Jang joins 2019 presidential race

    Former governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah Jang, will on Tuesday declare his interest in running for the presidency in Jos.

    Jang, representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, will lead his supporters to the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party to formally intimate them of his interest to join the 2019 presidential race.

    No fewer than 15 politicians have signified their intention to contest the presidency of Nigeria in 2019 on the platform of PDP.

    Recall that Justice Daniel Longji of Plateau State High Court on May 24 granted bail to Jang and a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to Plateau State Government, Yusuf Gyang Pam.

    The accused persons were arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and slammed with 12 counts bordering on alleged misuse of some special funds released to Plateau state by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    The offences were said to have been perpetrated few months to the end of Jang’s tenure as governor in 2015.

    Jang had repeatedly linked his ordeals to his presidential ambition, insisting that they were politically motivated.

    Already, the Plateau PDP secretariat is wearing a new look ahead of Jang’s declaration today.

    A notice by the immediate-past Secretary to the State Government during the administration of Jang and now Director-General of his Presidential Campaign Committee, Prof. Shedrack Best said the declaration event will start at 12 noon.

    He said, “This is to notify party faithful and well-wishers that the date for submission of a letter of intent to the party (PDP) for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Distinguished Senator Jonah Jang is now Tuesday (today) August 28 2018 at 12 noon. The venue is the PDP State Secretariat opposite NTA Jos. All are invited to grace the occasion.”

  • EFCC fails to present witnesses in Sen Jang’s case

    EFCC fails to present witnesses in Sen Jang’s case

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday failed to bring witnesses to testify in the case of alleged misappropriation of state funds involving former Plateau Governor Jonah Jang.

    EFCC had, on May 7, preferred a 12-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and misappropriation against Jang.

    It alleged that Jang, who served as Plateau governor between 2007 and 2015, misappropriated N6 billion, two months to the end of his tenure as governor.

    According to the charges, the former governor allegedly embezzled N4 billion from the state coffers through Mr Pam Yusuf, then a cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government.

    The court, on May 24, adjourned the matter to July 17, 18 and 19 for definite and accelerated hearing.

    At the resumed hearing of the matter before Justice Daniel Longji of Plateau High Court IV, its counsel, Mr Henry Ejiga, stated that the commission could not bring the witnesses “due to the security situation in Plateau”.

    Ejiga prayed the court to adjourn the matter to another date to enable him bring the witnesses to court.

    Counsel to Jang, Mr Robert Clarke (SAN), while responding, stated that criminal trials were expected to be “fast and speedy”, adding that justice delayed was justice denied.

    He said that the reason given by the prosecution was very surprising.

    “The reason given by the prosecution is very surprising. Security cannot be a good reason for not bringing the witnesses.

    “If people like us that do not have security guards can come all the way from Lagos without problems, then it is wrong for the EFCC to use security as an excuse not to bring the witnesses to court.

    “EFCC has the control of arms and ammunition; they say the red eagle will always catch up with you, how comes the eagle has stopped flying?

    “It is appalling that the custodian of security is afraid of coming to court because of security issues. The court should not accept this flimsy excuse.

    “We should have an affirmation statement by the prosecution that they would be ready at the next adjourned date,” he stated.

    Responding, the prosecuting counsel said that the EFCC was not the Ministry of Defence, saying that its personnel were as vulnerable as any other Nigerian.

    “We have good reasons to be afraid and careful because there were instances where witnesses have been gunned down while being conveyed to courts,” he claimed.

    Ejiga said that the protection of witnesses was very paramount to the EFCC, and declared that the development was not a tactic to delay justice.

    Longji, who frowned at the excuse given by the EFCC, stated that the court was a serious one and should not be taken for granted.

    He added that section 165 of the Criminal Procedure Code gives the court the discretion of striking out a matter if it is stalled or the complainant is absent.

    The Judge, however, noted that the counsel to the defendant had not asked the court to strike out the matter and could not, therefore, do that.

    He adjourned the matter to Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 1, for definite continuation of hearing.

    NAN

  • BREAKING: Ex-Plateau Governor Jonah Jang granted N100m bail

    A former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, has been granted bail.

    Mr Jang is being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, for allegedly stealing billions of naira of public funds while in office.

    He has been in prison for about one week based on a court order.

    He was granted bail on Thursday morning by high court judge Longji in Plateau State.

    The ex-governor, now a senator, was granted a bail of N100 million along with other conditions

    His co-accused was also granted bail.

     

    Details later…

  • Jang rejects proposed cattle colonies, says Lalong “on his own”

    Former Plateau governor Jonah Jang says his constituents are opposed to the creation of cattle colonies as proposed by his successor, Simon Lalong.

    Jang, who represents Plateau North in the Senate, said in Jos on Friday that he had met with his constituents to gauge their feelings on the proposal.

    “My people are against cattle colonies; they have said that they would not relinquish their ancestral lands for the purpose of grazing reserves or colonies,” Jang said in a statement signed by his media consultant, Mr Clinton Garuba.

    Lalong had told State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday that he would introduce cattle colonies instead of enacting a law to ban open cattle grazing in Plateau.

    The colonies, Lalong argued, would check the clashes between herdsmen and farmers as the cattle would be restricted to particular areas which would reduce the chances of straying into farmlands.

    But Jang, who lamented the attacks on his people by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen over the years, said that victims of such attacks were “not ready to accept the confiscation of their land by government”.

    “Cattle colonies are detrimental to the people and will not be accepted. The Plateau government is aware of this,” he declared.

    According to him, Lalong was speaking for himself when he promised to establish the cattle colonies.

    “As far as the people of my senatorial zone are concerned, Lalong spoke for himself and not for us.

    “We have already suffered too much loss in the hands of attackers believed to be herdsmen; creating colonies for them will only worsen the situation,” he said.

    He dismissed claims by the governor that people were already donating lands for the purpose of grazing and cattle colonies.

    “If the Governor claims that people are already donating lands for the purpose of grazing reserves or
    cattle colonies, let him name the donors.

    “The Plateau people are peaceful and have always rejected any policy that could undermine that peace.

    “My constituents’ position is clear – Lalong is on his own and alone in this path that he has chosen,” Jang said.

    Jang, however, advised Lalong to apologise to Gov Samuel Ortom of Benue over a statement credited to him (Lalong) in which he claimed to have warned his Benue counterpart against the anti-open grazing law.

    “That statement was particularly unfair to the people of Benue, coming at a time they were mourning scores killed in the Jan. 1 attacks on villages in Guma and Logo Governments.

    “The statement suggests that the killings took place because of the law. This cannot be true because the killings have been on for years while the law only took effect on Nov. 1,” the statement said.

    Jang urged the federal and state governments to organise a meeting of stakeholders to seek a lasting solution to the incessant herdsmen/farmers clashes, and stressed the need for policies that would be fair and acceptable to all concerned.

     

    NAN