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

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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

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NRM Presidential Aspirant Faduri Declares 2027 Ambition, Vows To Rescue Nigeria From ‘Political Elites’

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42 minutes ago

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February 27, 2026

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NRM Presidential Aspirant Faduri Declares 2027 Ambition, Vows To Rescue Nigeria From ‘Political Elites’

By: Our Reporter

Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, popularly known as Fadojoe, has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election under the platform of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), promising what he described as “people-first leadership” to pull Nigeria back from economic decline and insecurity.

In a speech announcing his ambitionnon Wednesday, the sociologist and US-based healthcare executive said Nigeria was “bleeding” and required urgent rescue from years of corruption, mismanagement and what he called recycled political leadership.

Faduri, who hails from Ipetu-Ijesha in Osun State, recounted his early life struggles, revealing that he lost his father at the age of four and his mother at fourteen.

A graduate of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Faduri also stated that he is a licensed nurse in New York, United States, and currently serves as CEO of F Planet Group USA, with interests spanning healthcare, consulting, foundation work and film production.

Referencing Nigeria’s founding leaders—Nnamdi Azikiwe, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Obafemi Awolowo—the presidential hopeful said the country had drifted far from the ideals of a true republic envisioned at independence.

According to him, Nigeria has degenerated into a nation where poverty, youth unemployment, insecurity and currency depreciation have replaced the prosperity and unity of earlier decades.

Faduri blamed Nigeria’s challenges on systemic corruption and leadership failure, arguing that personal interests have consistently been placed above national interest.

He questioned the continued dysfunction of state assets such as refineries and the Ajaokuta Steel project, asking why thousands of workers are still paid in non-functional institutions while the country depends heavily on private interests and foreign services.

The NRM aspirant disclosed that he previously joined the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 elections and contributed to building the platform that produced Mr. Peter Obi as presidential candidate, but stepped down in the interest of unity.

Quoting American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., he said leadership must be measured by courage in times of crisis, insisting that Nigeria now needs decisive and people-driven governance.

Faduri said he would contest under the National Rescue Movement, symbolised by the honeybee, adding that it was time to return Nigeria “to her honey days.”

If elected, he promised to prioritise economic stability, strengthen the naira, revive local refining capacity, and address energy costs. He also pledged to make primary and secondary education compulsory, strengthen vocational training, and ensure lecturers’ salaries are paid promptly.

He further promised to rebuild public hospitals to world-class standards and vowed that no government official, including himself, would seek medical treatment abroad at public expense.

Other priorities listed include decentralising electricity supply, reforming and strengthening the military and police, and promoting local manufacturing, including the use of locally produced vehicles for official purposes.

Framing the 2027 election as “the people versus the political class,” Faduri called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to join what he termed a “rescue mission” to rebuild the country.

The statement reads in part; “When the founding fathers of this nation came together in the struggle for independence—great leaders like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and Obafemi Awolowo—they fought for a Republic. A true Republic—if we can keep it.

“A Republic where government would be kind to its people. A Republic where life would be dignified, where food would be affordable, where citizens would love one another, and where love of country would supersede love of self. A Republic where leaders would create an enabling environment for prosperity through the proper use of our vast human and natural resources.

“A Republic where citizens would collaborate with government to build a society we can all be proud of. A Republic where morality, decency, and the fear of God would guide leadership. Above all, a Republic where people would feel safe in their own land. Today, my fellow Nigerians, we must admit that what we have falls far short of that vision.

“We now live in a nation that resembles a jungle—where survival of the fittest has replaced shared prosperity. A nation plunged into poverty by leaders who once enjoyed the best of Nigeria in their youth but have failed to preserve it for future generations.

“While the rest of the world is discussing artificial intelligence and technological breakthroughs, we are still campaigning with rice, noodles, onions, and ₦42,000 handouts on election day. What a tragedy.

“There was a time when the Nigerian passport was among the most respected in the world. Our naira was strong. Education was free and qualitative. Jobs awaited graduates even before graduation. Housing schemes met population growth. Hospitals functioned. Rural health centres served communities. You could travel safely from Lagos to Sokoto or from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri without fear.

“We lived as brothers and sisters—hopeful, united, and prosperous. But what do we have today? One of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. Rising insecurity. A struggling economy. A free-falling currency. A passport that no longer commands respect. A nation once united now divided by suspicion and fear. A country once flowing with opportunity now burdened by poverty, hunger, kidnapping, and corruption.

“My fellow Nigerians, how did we get here? How did we descend to this level where our citizens flee daily as though escaping a war zone? We got here through years of systemic corruption, mismanagement, and policies that moved our country from boom to doom. We got here because leaders placed personal interest above national interest.

“Even those in the diaspora, who struggle daily abroad, still carry the burden of families back home. Many of our health workers abroad—once undervalued here—now treat Nigerian leaders overseas for ailments that should be handled in our own hospitals. Enough is enough.

“It is time to fight for the soul of our nation. I am not here merely to recount our problems. I am here to declare that Nigeria is fixable. It is not rocket science. What we have lacked is sincere, courageous, and people-centred leadership. What happened to our refineries? What happened to Ajaokuta Steel? Why do we continue to pay thousands of workers in non-functional institutions? Why must we depend on private individuals for what government should provide?

“Corruption has become normalized. Public funds meant for national development are diverted. Absurd excuses are given for missing money, yet there are no consequences. Poverty has no tribe. Hunger has no ethnicity. Insecurity affects us all. If we fail to rescue Nigeria now, we risk becoming slaves in our own land—not chained by colonial masters, but controlled by political elites who care only for themselves. This is why I offer myself for service.

In 2022, ahead of the 2023 presidential election, I joined the Labour Party and contributed to building the LP that produced Mr. Peter Obi. I stepped down in the interest of unity. However, leadership must be measured by resilience and responsibility, especially in times of crisis. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

“Nigeria needs resolute, decisive, and people-driven leadership—not desperation or recycled political coalitions. The 2027 election will be the people versus the political class. And the people’s coalition shall prevail. I will be contesting under the National Rescue Movement (NRM), symbolized by the honeybee. It is time to return Nigeria to her honey days. If given the mandate, our government will be People First. Nation First.

“We will prioritize: Restoring economic stability and strengthening the naira; Revitalizing local refining capacity and addressing energy costs; Investing massively in education—making primary and secondary education compulsory and strengthening technical and vocational training; Ensuring lecturers’ salaries are never delayed.

“Rebuilding and equipping our hospitals to world-class standards. No government official—including myself—will seek medical treatment abroad at public expense. Decentralizing and stabilizing electricity supply. Reforming and strengthening the military and police to restore law and order.

“Encouraging local manufacturing, including the use of locally produced vehicles for official purposes. We will build a nation of law and order—a nation of reward and accountability. This is a generational call—a call for a shift from recycled leadership to visionary leadership. It is not a time for convenience. It is time to rebuild Nigeria.

“Our slogan says it clearly: “A Nation That Has Everything, Yet Lacks Everything.” Together, we will change that narrative. Join me in this rescue mission. Let us combine the best of Nigerians at home and abroad to build a new Republic—one we can keep,” the statement added.

NRM Presidential Aspirant Faduri Declares 2027 Ambition, Vows To Rescue Nigeria From ‘Political Elites’

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UMTH: The Making of History, Flood Disaster Museum

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46 minutes ago

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February 27, 2026

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UMTH: The Making of History, Flood Disaster Museum

By: Balami Lazarus

Museums are warehouses of histories where historical/cultural source materials are kept and preserved, which speaks volumes of people’s history and institutions or organizations that explained their past in terms of growth, progress, and developments.

Sometimes some unfortunate events give birth to history through the collections and preservations of their past emerging from two shades of events, positive or negative, as part of their history.

NEWSng was there, and on the ground is the “Flood Disaster Museum” of 10th September, 2024, where items destroyed by the flood are kept. The preservations are in two forms: audiovisual and pictorial.

Walking through the museum, the curator Mallam Abdul Inusa said that this is the beginning of UMTH’s historical collections and preservation of artifacts. “What you see in pictures and paintings on some of the walls in the museum…are the realities of what truly happened during the flood,” he lamented.

The curator further informed NEWSng that UMTH under Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo is considering expanding it into a hospital medical museum, which will cover the history of UMTH with all its medical source materials for the future.

The Flood Disaster Museum is faced with the challenges of space and staff. However, it was a welcome development.

UMTH: The Making of History, Flood Disaster Museum

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Stakeholders Say Climate Governance Ranking Drives Reform Across Nigeria’s 36 States

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February 27, 2026

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Stakeholders Say Climate Governance Ranking Drives Reform Across Nigeria’s 36 States

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria’s push to confront climate change is gaining new momentum at the subnational level, as a groundbreaking climate governance ranking continues to spur competition, collaboration and measurable reforms across the country’s 36 states.

For years, climate discourse in Nigeria revolved largely around federal commitments, international pledges and national policy frameworks. But a new initiative spearheaded by the Society for Planet and Prosperity in partnership with the Department of Climate Change at the Federal Ministry of Environment is shifting the spotlight to state governments — where climate impacts are most directly felt.

Now in its second year, the Subnational Climate Governance Ranking assesses how states design, implement and institutionalize climate action.

President of the Society for Planet and Prosperity, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, on Thursday in Abuja at the the Peer Learning Workshop for Honourable Commissioners of Environment on Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking, said the objective of the yearly ranking is not to shame underperformers, but to encourage transparency, peer learning and accelerated action.

He said: “We are clear that this is not just about scoring. It is about galvanizing climate action at the subnational level. States are on the frontline of climate vulnerability — floods, desertification, erosion, heatwaves. Without strong state action, Nigeria cannot build meaningful resilience.”

He noted that the when the first ranking was released two years ago, skepticism trailed the exercise. Some stakeholders feared it would generate political tension or unfair comparisons, insisting that the process was evidence-based and participatory, allowing states to present documented proof of their initiatives.

He added that the outcome surprised many observers, stating that: “Between the first and second editions of the ranking, nearly all states recorded measurable improvements in climate governance performance — from the creation of climate policies and action plans to the establishment of dedicated climate institutions.”

Okereke said what we found was remarkable, “there is an incredible array of climate initiatives happening across the federation. Many states are doing far more than people assume.”

He revealed that what the assessment framework evaluates are: Existence of climate policies and action plans; Institutional arrangements, including designated commissioners or agencies responsible for climate change; Concrete implementation projects such as flood control systems, reforestation drives, renewable energy deployment and community capacity-building; Transparency and online visibility of climate information; Ability to attract and manage climate finance.

He insisted that the emphasis on climate finance reflects a key reality, noting that ambition without funding cannot translate into durable results.

He however noted that despite the progress, challenges persist, stressing that: “Many states demonstrate willingness to act but face financial constraints, limited technical expertise and inadequate institutional capacity.

Recognizing this gap, he said the organisers are expanding the initiative beyond ranking into structured peer-learning networks and tailored capacity-building programmes, stating that the aim is to help states move from drafting policies to executing them effectively.

He disclosed that at a recent gathering of state environment commissioners, participants reviewed the ranking methodology to ensure fairness and collective ownership.

“We want every state to understand the criteria and contribute to refining the framework,” he said. “If something needs adjustment, we do it together. This is a co-created process.”

Meanwhile, Commissioners of Environment have seek stronger collaboration.

The Jigawa State Commissioner of Environment and Climate Change, Nura Ibrahim, said the peer-learning engagement is expected to yield three major outcomes: targeted training programmes, stronger inter-state networking and full adoption of climate mitigation and adaptation measures.

Ibrahim, who is also the Chairman of the Commissioners’ Forum on Environment in Nigeria, said earlier concerns over unclear criteria of the ranking have largely been addressed through dialogue and transparency.

He said: “With better understanding of the methodology and engagement among commissioners, future rankings will be smoother and more impactful.”

The initiative has drawn support from development partners including the African Climate Foundation and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, among others. Their contributions have enabled the development of the ranking framework, technical reviews and stakeholder engagements.

Observers said such partnerships are critical as Nigeria seeks to unlock climate finance and strengthen accountability at all levels of government.

Stakeholders Say Climate Governance Ranking Drives Reform Across Nigeria’s 36 States

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