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Rumblings in Plateau over move to recall Lalong, Dafaan, Venman

Published

1 year ago

July 10, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Rumblings in Plateau over move to recall Lalong, Dafaan, Venman

By Mark Longyen

Plateau State has been thrown into political panic mode following a subterranean move by Plateau South senatorial zone’s constituents to recall former Gov Simon Lalong (APC-Plateau South) from the Senate.

Also penciled for recall by the aggrieved constituents are Lalong’s former Chief of Staff, John Dafaan (APC-Shendam, Quaan-Pan, Mikang) and Vincent Venman (APC-Langtang North/South) federal constituencies.

Impeccable sources disclosed that within the past week, over 500,000 constituents had already appended their signatures to initiate the recall of the trio from the National Assembly.

It was learned that about a fortnight ago, the forms for the recall of the three lawmakers were distributed across the six local governments that constitute the senatorial zone, which have now been signed by the constituents.

People familiar with the prevailing political intrigues said that any time this week, the signed forms by constituents from all the polling units will be collated and forwarded by the petitioners’ lawyers alongside their petitions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Thereafter, INEC is expected to send a team of its officials to the senatorial zone and the two federal constituencies for verification of the signatures.

Once the signatures are verified and confirmed in the various polling units that 50 per cent, plus one, of the total registered voters actually signed the recall forms, then INEC will within a statutory time frame, arrange for a referendum to be conducted to recall the lawmakers.

The referendum simply entails a “yes or no” voting by the constituents on whether to recall the lawmakers or not, which outcome is to be determined by a simple majority to declare a lawmaker automatically recalled or to retain his seat.

The sacking of Sen. Napoleon Bali (PDP-Plateau South, June 2023 to October 2023) by the Court of Appeal had paved the way for Lalong, whom he defeated in the 2023 senatorial election with an unprecedented landslide, to subsequently resign as minister of labour and productivity, to occupy the seat.

A source, who preferred not to be named, said that Bali is championing the recall move, although Bali himself could not independently confirm the latest development.

However, it would be recalled that shortly after his sack late last year, Bali had told newsmen that although as of then, he had not gone back to the senatorial zone after the judgement, he had it on good authority that his aggrieved constituents were already collecting signatures to initiate the recall process.

He had also disclosed that his legal team was weighing various options, including going back to the court to explore any window to review or remedy the injustice done to him and other fellow lawmakers.

According to him, being the victim of the brazen judicial gymnastics, he had the constitutional option of initiating a recall process against those who were brought to office by the Appeal Court judgment, or to live with it for the next three years.

The latest move seems to align with the earlier vow of Bali to unseat Lalong and co, as impeccable sources say plans have reached advanced stage by constituents to recall the embattled lawmakers.

“What the people of Plateau South senatorial district are saying is that they will not allow them.

“I don’t know what they want to do, but I was told reliably that people are already gathering signatures that they must recall them.

“This time around we are going to test INEC and the judiciary that installed them because that is the option we are sure of.

“Like I said, our lawyers are making all efforts to see whether there is a window. I’m not a lawyer; I don’t know how they are going to do it.

“But the one I’m very sure of is that all those who the Appeal Court collected our mandates and gave to them wrongfully, as concluded by the learned justices of the Supreme Court in Gov Mutfang’s case, we are definitely going to recall them.

“When? I will not tell you because it will just come to them as a rude shock.

“For the specifics, I can tell you that in Plateau South, I know that they have gathered over 300,000 signatures to recall Lalong already.

“That is already in the public domain. He is aware, his party, the APC is aware.

“By the time we get the required number of signatures, which is 50 per cent of the total registered voters, it’ll be a done deal, we’ll do it.

“We have the INEC current register; I will not tell you more than this because we keep that one close to our chest.

“As soon as we get the 50 per cent, we are going to write a petition, and our lawyers will follow it up from there to tell INEC to verify.

“Once that is done, INEC will have no option but to conduct a referendum and we take it up from there,” Bali, a retired Air Vice Marshal and fighter pilot, had assured.

Lalong, Dafaan and Venman were roundly defeated by Bali, Rep Isaac Kwallu and Beni Lar, who won the Plateau South, Shendam, Quaan-Pan, Mikang and Langtang North/South House of Reps seats, respectively, during the 2023 National Assembly polls.

Despite being the sitting governor of Plateau State from 2015 to 2023, and Director General of the 2023 Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation, Lalong was humiliated at the polls by Bali, who trounced him with an unprecedented vote margin of about 60,000.

The former governor was comprehensively defeated by Bali in all the 6 local governments that constitute his senatorial zone, including his own Shendam Local Government Area, except in Wase Local Government.

Dafaan was similarly floored by Kwallu in all the three local governments that constitute Shendam, Quaan-Pan, Mikang federal constituency, and in 31 out of the 32 federal wards in the area, including Dafaan’s Kwalla-Moeda federal ward, with an unprecedented vote margin.

Also, perennial winner and political Amazon, Rep Beni Lar (PDP-Langtang North/South was re-elected in the 2023 polls by her constituents following her landslide victory with a very wide margin against APC’s Venman, who was her closest opponent.

However, all the PDP lawmakers’ victories were controversially annulled by the Court of Appeal, on the technical ground that PDP did not have a legitimate political structure that produced them as candidates, thereby, truncating their tenures.

This was notwithstanding the fact that the case was a pre-election matter, which the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain in the first place.

Not a few observers had described the court’s curious decision as being a predetermined judicial compromise, while the Supreme Court later frowned at it and chided the Appeal Court, describing the decision as an act of judicial rascality.

Apparently miffed by the court’s decision to impose on them those who they rejected at the polls like being compelled to swallow unwanted bitter pills, the lawmakers’ constituents have now turned to the constitutionally sanctioned recall option as a last resort.

Reacting to the bid by constituents to recall Lalong and co, the Plateau State chapter of the APC described the action as a wasted effort that was informed by PDP’s “desperation and frustration to remove the lawmakers from their legitimate seats.”

Confirming the recall initiative, the state chapter of the APC in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by its acting Publicity Secretary, Shittu Bamaiyi, described the recall effort as merely a “PDP orchestrated recall campaign, a wild goose chase, and mission impossible.”

“For quite some time now the PDP in the southern part of Plateau State, has embarked on a wild goose chase, in the name of recall campaign against these members of the National Assembly.

“The party has unrelentingly and agonizingly, been cajoling unsuspecting eligible voters to append their signatures on worthless sheet of papers, as a means of recalling Senator Simon Lalong and Chief John Dafaan from the Red and Green Chambers, respectively.

“The desperation and frustration of the PDP seem to know no bounds, to the extent that the party is so blinded to the constitutional requirements of initiating, as well as embarking on such a herculean exercise,” the APC stated.

According to the party, the PDP has thrown caution and decorum to the winds by embarking on the recall process against the lawmakers.

“By using all sorts of shenanigans and deceits to cow people into appending their names on papers, under the pretext of making them enjoy some palliatives and loans from the federal government as well as the state governments.

“Though the unsuspecting electorate have been suspicious of the promises, and taking them with the pinch of salt, the hirelings assigned the responsibility of the misadventure, have unblushingly continued to move round all the nooks and cranny of the Southern zone to collect signatures for the futile exercise.

“It is unfortunate that the PDP could condescend to that level of desperation, when viewed from the prism of civility and propriety, as well as considering the fact that, the legislators in question have hardly spent one year in their respective chambers,” the APC further said.

“Unarguably, a recall exercise is an electoral and constitutional process which can be initiated against wanting or incompetent legislators as the case may be, there must always be overwhelming justification for such a cause.

“Undoubtedly, the narcissistic attitude of the PDP will certainly come to naught, sooner than later, because from all indications, the legislators are at the moment, enjoying the support of their constituents not withstanding their short stay in the National Assembly.

“In addition, the APC as a party, and other interest groups, are closely monitoring events as they unfold, with a view to checkmating the misadventure.

“Without any fear of the unknown, the campaign is surely going to be a mission impossible and a disgrace at the end of it all,” Bamaiyi added.

When contacted for comments on the development, Rep. Kwallu, one of the lawmakers sacked by the Court of Appeal and Dafaan’s predecessor, confirmed that the recall move by the constituents was true.

He explained that the recall process is provided for in the Nigerian constitution, which empowers constituents to recall their elected representative at any time, stressing that there is no cause for alarm.

Jimmy Lar, a political gladiator from the senatorial zone, while commenting on the APC’s statement describing the recall process as a desperate move by PDP, justified the ground for the initiative.

He asked rhetorically: “Who is the desperate one between someone who stole what doesn’t belong to him or her and the one who is making all lawful efforts to recover his or her stolen item?

“It’s the right of an owner to go to any length to recover his stolen property.

“When you are robbed, you tell people, approach the lawful authorities and take all necessary measures to recover your stolen items from the robber(s).

“Whether or not you are able to bring the thief to justice is not for the thief to decide, it’s for time to decide,” he said.

Simon Shindai, a lawyer, constituent, and APC member, while confirming that he was fully aware of the recall bid, alleged that some stakeholders, mostly from the state’s ruling PDP, were behind the recall move.

According to him, some PDP chieftains are strategizing, working round the clock, and leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the recall agenda is carried out seamlessly to achieve the desired result within the next six to twelve months, and warned the APC not to treat the issue with kid gloves.

“It is not a joke because it is a serious constitutional matter that is outlined in the 1999 Constitution, so once these processes are met, then INEC will definitely go ahead and conduct a referendum, which outcome could be a big shocker for the lawmakers in question,” he said.

Also commenting on the issue, Alhassan Barde, an APC supporter, said that APC as a political party that knows and has tasted power, and is still in power at the centre and elsewhere, should do more than just mere press statements.

“The party should be strategic in handling critical matters that are pending and have been left unadressed, matters that have emerged (like the one at hand), and those at the horizon with the potential to affect its present structure, and the chances that lie ahead for greater fortunes.

“Remember, your opponent in whatever contest, would employ and deploy all manner of tactics to rattle and weaken your immune system and then launch attacks on your defence mechanisms.

“All that we are doing is a clarion call to APC to wake up now, and do something about it,” he said.

Lalong, while reacting to the recall move by his constituents, through his Legislative aide, Hon. Exodus Pyennap, acknowledged being aware of it but described the initiative as an effort in futility that is baseless and dead on arrival.

He said that the first requirement for a recall process to be considered by INEC is for the constituent petitioners to have a solid ground for the recall, such as failure, misconduct, corruption, non-performance or some sort of official misdemeanor against their representative, which are all unfounded in the instant case.

“So, the entire hullabaloo is an effort that is baseless and futile, INEC will not even bother to act on it,” Lalong said.

Lar and Dafaan could not immediately be reached for comments on the issue as of the time of filing this report. Dafaan did not answer or return the several phone calls made to him.

Rumblings in Plateau over move to recall Lalong, Dafaan, Venman

Related Topics:Dafaan Rumblings in Plateau over move to recall Lalong Venman

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NCTC, UNODC Inaugurate Working Group to Counter Criminal and Terrorist Finance in Nigeria’s Mineral Sector

Published

2 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NCTC, UNODC Inaugurate Working Group to Counter Criminal and Terrorist Finance in Nigeria’s Mineral Sector

By: Michael Mike

The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and with the support of the Government of Canada, has established a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Mineral Crime and Terrorism Financing.

Nigeria’s mineral sector, particularly artisanal and small-scale gold mining, has increasingly been exploited by criminal and terrorist networks.

These illicit activities have continued to deprive the government of vital tax and royalty revenues, weaken state capacity to deliver essential services, and fuel instability nationwide. By exploiting regulatory gaps and opaque value chains, criminal groups disguise illicit proceeds, perpetuating conflict and organized crime in the country.

The TWG, comprising representatives of law enforcement, intelligence and other security agencies, including those of other strategic MDAs and the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI) under the latest agreement, will collaborate to strengthen the nation’s criminal justice capacity to address illicit financial flows tied to terrorism financing and money laundering in the mining sector by coordinating individual agency responses, supporting national efforts, and guiding policy reforms.

It will also promote community resilience in artisanal mining regions while integrating gender equality and human rights into government interventions.

In his keynote speech at the inaugural meeting of the working group, the NCTC National Coordinator, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, who was represented by the Centre’s Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Ambassador Mairo Musa Abbas underscored the Federal Government of Nigeria’s commitment to cutting off terrorist financing at its source, including in the mineral sector.

He said: “Nigeria’s mineral resources remain some of the most valuable national assets we possess. Yet in recent years, the growing exploitation of these resources by criminal syndicates and violent extremist elements has become a significant threat. This is not merely a theoretical risk; it is a lived reality in several regions of our country, where illegal mining intersects with banditry, insurgency, arms trafficking and cross-border smuggling. In past years, the NCTC has recorded remarkable progress in strengthening Nigeria’s counter-terrorism financing architecture. Today’s initiative builds on this momentum. Protecting our mineral resources from criminal capture is not only a security imperative, but it is also a development imperative, an economic imperative and, ultimately, a sovereign duty.”

On his part, UNODC Country Representative for Nigeria, Mr Cheikh Toure,, in his remarks conveyed by Mr Tom Parker, Head of the UNODC Counter Terrorism Unit, praised the leadership of the NCTC, while emphasising that “Illegal mining, and the illicit financial flows generated by this activity, undermine Nigeria’s stability and development. The creation of this interagency Working Group by the NCTC is an important step in reversing this trend. UNODC is committed to strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes linked to terrorism and organized crime. Collaboration is fundamental to defeating criminal and terrorist threats, and helps foster shared learning and policy innovation.”

Funded by the Government of Canada, UNODC is working closely with the NCTC together with agencies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Financial Intelligence Unit, the Mining Marshals Corps and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to build Nigeria’s capacity towards combating illicit financial flows linked to Nigeria’s mineral sector by deepening analysis of relationship between mineral-related crimes and the financing of terrorism, strengthening supervision in the financial sector by equipping both private and government actors to detect suspicious transactions, and supporting the effective investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of money laundering and terrorism financing cases at the state and federal levels.

NCTC, UNODC Inaugurate Working Group to Counter Criminal and Terrorist Finance in Nigeria’s Mineral Sector

News

NCoS empowers 120 inmates in Gombe

Published

2 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NCoS empowers 120 inmates in Gombe

By Peter Uwumarogie

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) says it has trained 120 inmates in vocational skills in six custodial centres in Gombe State.

The Controller of Corrections, Mr Felix Agada, said this during the graduation ceremony of the inmates on Wednesday at Tula community in Kaltungo Local Government Area of the state.

He said the initiative was of part of the mandate of the service to reform and rehabilitate inmates into better citizens upon their release from the centres.

“The aim of this skill acquisition is to achieve the Reformation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration programme of the service.

“This is to ensure that inmates become useful to themselves and the society at large after discharge to reduce the rate of crime among the youths in our communities,” he said.

Agada said the programme was being initiated and supported in collaboration with the state Chief Judge, Justice Halima Mohammed, and Smart Ideas Multi Consult Ltd.

He commended the state government’s support towards empowering the inmates and ensuring that they return to their communities with dignity upon serving out their jail terms.

Also, Justice Mohammed said her belief that everyone deserved opportunity to become better citizens moved her to initiate the programme.

She said that studies had shown that where well-structured rehabilitation and skill acquisition exist for inmates, crime rate drops drastically by more than half because “opportunity is the antidote to crime.

“In Nigeria, correctional centres were not designed to be the permanent destination; they are meant to be a bridge back into the society, not warehouse for human potential.

“Without skills, inmates who have served out their terms can not compete, without support they cannot stand, and without acceptance, they cannot start again,” she said.

Mohammed said the initiative was borne out of the need to ensure that every ex-inmate did not go back to crime but to become a “tax payer, business starter and an artisan.

“This is important because every ex inmate lost to the street is a child without a provider, community without peace and a country without productivity.”

She lauded the government’s role in reforming inmates, and stressed the need for societal support to effectively address the task of skilling every inmate while providing them with starter packs upon their release.

“Correctional reform is not a project, it’s a partnership, not a policy but a social contract; today’s fund raising is not charity but nation building, security management, economic investment and a moral duty.”

The judge therefore advocated for collective support to empower inmates with the right skills and tools.

According to Mohammed, investment in that regard is an investment in safer streets, stronger families and a more hopeful country.

Mr Musa Nelson, Head of Skills Acquisition Programmes, NCoS, said the inmates were exposed to carpentry, tailoring, fashion design, cosmetology, shoe and bags making, laundry, barbing and make up.

He said the inmates would be provided with starter packs after their six-month training exercise.

Some of the inmates commended the gesture and urged stakeholders to assist them with the required tools in line with their area of training to enable them to set up their businesses.

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Coup D’etat: Odumegwu-Ojukwu Calls for Defence of Constitution Order

Published

2 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Coup D’etat: Odumegwu-Ojukwu Calls for Defence of Constitution Order

….Challenges ECOWAS to Meet Yearnings of Youth

By: Michael Mike

Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has called on members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to remain steadfast in defending constitutional order, promoting inclusive political dialogue, and supporting credible transitions that reinforce stability.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who also called
for the acceleration of economic integration in the sub-region, challenged ECOWAS to meet the yearning of the regional youth who are looking up to the regional body to create opportunities for them.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, spoke on Wednesday at the opening of the 95th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Minister in Abuja.

The Nigeria’s minister while noting that as ECOWAS is still basking in the euphoria of the golden jubilee celebration, the Regional body must confront its challenges headlong.

She identified the recent surge in military take over, banditry and kidnappings as some of the challenges.

According to her: “Recent years have witnessed political instability and lack of inclusivity, including forceful unconstitutional changes of government, deliberate prolonged transitions, and governance uncertainties and deficits in a number of Member States. These situations challenge not only the democratic values to which we have all subscribed, but also threaten hard-won development gains. They undermine citizen confidence and weaken the regional cohesion that has defined ECOWAS for half a century.

“We must therefore remain steadfast in defending constitutional order, promoting inclusive political dialogue, and supporting credible transitions that reinforce stability. Our unity and collective resolve are essential to navigating these periods of uncertainty.”

She added: “At the heart of ECOWAS lies the aspiration for economic integration that delivers tangible benefits for our community citizens. It is this ideal of shared markets, interconnected infrastructure, increased mobility, and coordinated development that inspired our founding fathers to establish the regional body and has guided our Community since 1975.

“Today more than ever, we must accelerate these efforts. Our region’s future depends on deepening intra-regional trade, strengthening value chains, facilitating investments, and creating opportunities for the over 400 million people, especially the young people of 25 years and below who constitute about 65% of the population. They no doubt rely on ECOWAS to chart a path toward progress.”

She also noted the ECOWAS at 50 celebration that is still running, offered an opportunity to reflect deeply on our achievements over the past five decades.

“We celebrated the establishment of free movement, significant trade and economic integration frameworks, regional peacekeeping leadership, improved cooperation in critical sectors from health to infrastructure, and ongoing efforts to address the problems of insecurity in the region. Our accomplishments stand as a powerful testament to the vision of our founders, who understood that West Africa’s greatest strength is forged through unity, solidarity, and collective progress. Moving forward, we are inspired to reach even higher, nurturing a region defined by peace, prosperity, and limitless possibilities for generations to come.”

She therefore reminded the gathering that their insights and decisions will be instrumental in shaping the recommendations to be submitted to the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

On his part, the Sierra Leonian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Timothy Kabba stressed the need to be persistent in the integration efforts.

Kabba who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS Council of Ministers said: “We must persist in our effort to foster an environment conducive to the growth of the private sector, the principal catalyst of the economic integration agenda. While it is acknowledged that integration may sometimes invoke complex sovereignty issues, it is ultimately advantageous to all Member States.

“Furthermore, it is imperative that we demonstrate a robust commitment to the promotion and enhancement of trade within the subregion.”

He also lamented the current trade gaps in the sub-region, describing it as the lowest when compared to other regions of the world.

He therefore called for the resuscitation of all trade mechanisms to boost intra-regional trade and investment.

According to him: “The current percentage of intra-regional trade lags behind that of other regions. To address this disparity, we should utilize existing mechanisms to foster greater regional economic collaboration, such as the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme, the ECOWAS investment code, improve transport and energy connectivity, and promote digital transformation as a catalyst for innovation.

“In addition, we must address non-tariff barriers, modernize and operationalize brotherhoods, and improve the joint border management process. We must also prepare our region to fully capitalize on the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which directly advances our internal integration agenda.”

Speaking on the current security and political situation in the region, Kabba said: “They can only be resolved through enhanced cooperation and mutual understanding among our member states. “Consequently, we must assist in investing in peace and security initiatives both through joint border operations, joint intelligence cooperation, and mediation efforts, activate the ECOWAS Standard Force, and provide support to member states facing threat.
“In addition, it is essential to ensure that diligent diplomacy, strategic leadership, political dialogue, military cooperation, and development assistance are integrated effectively to address the root causes and foster long-term resilience and sustainability.”

He charged members of the council of ministers to “seize this opportunity to reflect on the broader security and governance challenges confronting our region, and to renew our collective determination to safeguard peace, protect democratic institutions, and ensure that the aspirations of our peoples for stability and development are not derailed.
Our region has endured too many disruptions to democratic order.
“Let us stand together firmly and in solidarity to defend the principles of democracy, transparency, and the people’s right to choose their leaders.”

Coup D’etat: Odumegwu-Ojukwu Calls for Defence of Constitution Order