Can Plateau North Clinch Ministerial Position?

NAIRA LAND - The 2019 General Elections has come and gone, leaving behind tales of woes from the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State. However, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is battle ready to assemble competent personnel to fill in political appointments that President Muhammadu Buhari is going to offer the state.

The quest for political appointments, particularly the Ministerial position which is done based on Federal character has generated heated debate among citizens of the State.

The question on the lips of many Plateau indigenes is: Which Senatorial District should produce the next Minister?

Many believed that in the spirit of fair play, Plateau North Senatorial District should be considered for the Ministerial appointment since the Governor, Simon Bako Lalong hails from Plateau South while the Deputy Governor comes from Plateau Central.

Currently, Hon. Solomon Dalung is occupying the plumb seat. He was single-handedly appointed in 2015 by President Buhari without seeking inputs of political stakeholders from the state. Dalung is jostling to retain his seat in the next cabinet.

Political pundits from the state believe that competent hands like Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, Lumumba Dah-Adeh and Ambassador Chris Giwa, who have fair knowledge in the world of sports should be considered for Sports Minister if the position will be retained for Plateau State.

The cream of personalities all hail from Plateau where the masses are drumming support for the Ministerial appointment for political balancing and fair play.

Hon. Solomon Dalung is the current Minister of Sports and Youth Development. He was a chieftain of the APC and a die-hard supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari before his appointment in 2015.

Dalung hails from Langtang South Local Government Area in Plateau South where Buhari and APC got 11, 000 votes while Atiku and PDP polled 18,000 votes.

Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande is a current and two term serving member of the House of Representatives for Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State.

He was elected under the Platform of Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in 2011 and defected to APC to support President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 where he secured his second tenure.

Yahaya-Kwande contested the House of Reps party primaries under APC and lost narrowly to Alh. Haruna Maitala.

It was believed that Kwande lost the party primaries due to political narrative that his father, who was former Ambassador of Nigeria to Switzerland and member of APC Board of Trustees was working for Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of PDP.

But the lawmaker refused to align with his father in the PDP, instead remained focus and steady in pursuing victory for President Buhari, Governor Lalong and other APC candidates during the polls by providing campaign vehicles and mobilising grassroots support for the party.

In his Jos North constituency, Buhari polled 93, 800 votes to beat Atiku and PDP who scored 53,277 votes. Honourable Kwande is the youngest football administrator among all the Ministerial contenders in Plateau.

Hon. Lumumba Dah-Adeh is a former member of the House of Representatives and ex-adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He is the Acting Chairman of Former APC members of the House of Representatives.

Dah-Adeh who hails from Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State in the Northern zone has been a loyal and committed member of the APC.

Ambassador Chris Giwa is a peace Ambassador and ex-embattled President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He contested the position in 2014 and lost in a controversial circumstance to the current President, Amaju Pinnick.

He battled through legal means to retrieve his mandate but couldn’t succeed. He was restored to the Glass House at some point through the court but lost the position through appeal.

Chris Giwa delivered 25,574 votes to Buhari in his Jos South Local Government Area while Atiku polled 106,574 votes in the LGA.

Other prominent APC stakeholders in the zone who are interested in the Ministerial appointments includes, Ex-Nigeria Ambassador to Ukraine, Ibrahim Kasai, Director General of Lalong/Tyoden Campaign organisation, Arch. Pam Dung Gyang, former Minister of Information, Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande and former Secretary to Government of Plateau State, Hon. Rufus Bature among others.

Eighteen-year-old student of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Fateemah Garba has aptly answered the name of her university, “Hikmah” (wisdom) by designing a fashionable scarf (Hijab) endeared by both Muslims and Christians.

When Miss Garba launched a hijab making brand labelled “Pink Dust Hijab” from the little startup capital she go from her mother, little did she know that her ingenuity would project her to limelight.

The 200-Level student who also trains and empowers young teenage girls in the art of hijab making for all occasions, said she designs georgettes Hijabs both plain and patterned.

Speaking to Youths’ Digest on what motivated her to design Hijab for both Muslims and Christians, she said, ‘’I see Hijab from different perspectives, while others strictly see it as a symbol of a particular religion.”

“Hijab can be worn not only for religious purposes but also for fashion. There is beauty, prestige and responsibility attached to it,” she added.
She said what inspired her was the fact that one could cover up and still look good.

Miss Garba said it is not all about profit-making but fulfilling dreams. “Designing Hijab to be accepted worldwide is my ambition. So I don’t bother giving reasonable discounts to my clients,” she said.

The teenager said her future plan is to produce different types of Hijabs and own the best hijab selling company.

She said with adequate publicity for her work, creating awareness and removing stereotype about Hijab, her labels can become global hit.
She attracts her customers through social media and referrals.

Ramadan with all of its numerous blessings presents the youth with some productivity challenges. One such challenge is trying to maximise time while engaging in productive activities that will bring the best rewards from this special month. With these Ramadan activities, you will find simple ways of leveraging fulfilling activities to help you grow spiritually, mentally, socially and physically as a productive youth and leader in the Ummah.

Read at: http://youthsdigest.com/ramadan-50-productive-activities-for-youth/

The details came as Ali’s family revealed plans for a Friday funeral in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, a daylong affair that will include a procession through the streets where the 74-year-old world champion grew up and learned to box. His body is expected to be returned to the city within two days.
Source: http://youthsdigest.com/revealed-killed-muhammad-ali/

...Youths Recover, Return Missing Riffle to Nigerian Army
A soldier attached to the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta escorting oil workers from an oil spill site drowned and died at Taylor Creek near an oilfield operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Okordia, Yenagoa LGA, Bayelsa.

Read more at: http://youthsdigest.com/youths-nigerian-army/

The Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students Affairs, Nasir Sai’du Adhama has commended Nigerian troops for their successful operations in the rescue of two Chibok girls, Amina Ali and Serah Luka.

Adhama who made the commendation at the State House, Abuja said the development opens new vista of hope in the ongoing efforts to rescue the rest of abducted Chibok girls.

“We celebrate with the families of the rescued girls, and commend the gallantry of the Nigerian Troops and the Civilian Joint Task Force in trying to end the insurgency in the North east of Nigeria", he said.

In a release sent by his Media Aide, Gidado Yushau Shuaib, Adhama called on Nigerians to continue to give their support to the troops as government has intensified the search and rescue of the remaining girls.

He said that his office strongly warns against stigma or discrimination against the Chibok girls when they return.

Adhama also assured Nigerians of the federal government’s support to ensure the safety and rehabilitation of the rescued girls.

He said; "The continuation of education of the rescued and freed captives, which has been disrupted, will definitely be a priority. They must be enabled to go back to school and this will be some of the majority priorities.”

He joined Nigerians and well-wishers in the international community to pray for the safe return of other abducted women and children.

Adhama added that the development "would strengthen our collective belief that our missing Chibok girls that are still held hostage will eventually be rescued".
Source: http://youthsdigest.com/

Ace rapper, Ice Prince, has said that he is no longer signed as an artiste under the umbrella of Chocolate City.
Read what actually happened: http://youthsdigest.com/10042-2/

Residents in Amarata area of Yenagoa, were thrown into pandemonium on Tuesday evening following the brutal murder of an Assistant Superintendent of Police and a woman hit by stray bullet.

Read more at: http://youthsdigest.com/bayelsa-police/

“A national survey by the National Population Commission, supported by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF, launched in September 2015, found that six in 10 children suffer one or more types of violence before they reach the age of 18 years.

“Also, one in two suffers physical violence, one in four girls and one in 10 boys suffer sexual violence and one in five boys and one in six girls suffer emotional violence.

Read More at: http://youthsdigest.com/unicef-decries-violence-children-nigeria/

Six in Every 10 Nigerian Children Suffer Violence- UNICEF
United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) says about 60 per cent of children, representing six in 10 children, suffer one or more types of violence before they reach the age of 18 years in Nigeria.

Source: http://youthsdigest.com/unicef-decries-violence-children-nigeria/

Revealed! Serah Luka 2nd Chibok Girl Rescued
Her name is Miss Serah Luka, who is number 157 on the list of the abducted school girls.She is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka. During debriefing the girl revealed that she was a JSS1 student of the school at the time they were abducted. She further added that she hails from Madagali, Adamawa State.


Source: http://youthsdigest.com/serah-luka/

Revealed! Serah Luka 2nd Chibok Girl Rescued
She is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka. During debriefing the girl revealed that she was a JSS1 student of the school at the time they were abducted. She further added that she hails from Madagali, Adamawa State.

Read more at: http://youthsdigest.com/serah-luka/