NEWS
Lalong Tasks New Lafia Catholic Bishop on Peace

From Jude Dangwam, Jos
Plateau State Governor, Barrister Simon Lalong has expressed optimism that the newly installed Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese will help heal wounds by building an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence in Nasarawa State and the country at large.
He said as a Clergyman whom he worked very closely with him as the Chaplain of Government House Chapel in Plateau State, has helped a lot in the returned of peace in his stated.
The Governor stated this yesterday while delivering his goodwill message at the official installation of the second Bishop of Lafia Diocese Most Reverend David Ajang at St Williams Cathedral Lafia the Nasarawa State capital.
In a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Simon Macham and made available to newsmen yesterday, said Governor Lalong alongside his Nasarawa State Counterpart Engr. Abdullahi Sule were among thousands of guests that joined the Catholic faithful for the ordination of Most Rev. David Ajang as Bishop of Lafia Diocese.
“Having worked closely with him as the Chaplain of the Government House Chapel in Jos for the past six years, I can testify about his deep passion for the salvation of the souls of men. Indeed, he has endeared himself to our hearts through his kindness, love for God and humanity. Bishop David Ajang is a man who undertakes his spiritual calling with utmost humility and the fear of God,” Lalong said.
He charged the Bishop to continue praying for the country, especially in its present predicaments.
“My Lord Bishop, please continue to uphold Plateau and Nasarawa States as well as the entire nation in prayers for peace, security and prosperity of the land. You contributed a lot to the restoration of substantial peace and security in Plateau State by prayers and godly counsel. Please do not relent to offer same to my brother, the Governor of Nasarawa State His Excellency Governor Abdullahi Sule who by the way is another “Jos boy” on loan to Nasarawa,” Lalong added.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule congratulated the new Bishop, and assured him of the support and collaboration of the Government and people of Nasarawa State whom he said are looking forward to a wonderful experience during his tenure.
Sule said the State will benefit from his experience and knowledge, having left a good legacy in Plateau State where he held several positions in the Church including Chaplain, Government House Chapel Jos before his appointment as Bishop.
He also called on religious leaders to pray for the nation and give good counsel to help those in position of leadership to serve the country dispassionately.
Papal Nuncio, Most Rev. Antonio Fillipazzi performed the ordination in line with the tradition and protocols of the Catholic Church.
Arch Bishop of Jos, Mathew Ishaya Audu who is the immediate past Bishop of Lafia addressed the congregation for the last time and appreciated them for their support and players during his term as Bishop. He asked them to extend same to the new Bishop.
Governor Lalong who was accompanied by his wife Regina and a high powered delegation from Plateau State comprising of the Speaker of the House of Assembly Abok Nuhu Ayuba, some members of the State Executive Council, Traditional Rulers led by the Gbom Gwom Jos Da Jacob Gyang Buba, and prominent elders said Plateau State was highly delighted by the appointment of Most Rev. David Ajang as a Bishop.
NEWS
Breaking: George Akume remains SGF – Presidency

The presidency says there has been no change in the status of Senator George Akume, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
This is according to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Mr Onanuga says President Bola Tinubu, currently in Saint Lucia, has not made any new appointments.
He described the information circulating about Akume’s replacement as untrue, adding that agents of mischief fabricated it.
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NEWS
Diri Campaigns Against Drug Abuse, Trafficking

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri yesterday, led a campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking as part of activities commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Diri advised people of the state, particularly the youths, to shun hard drugs and trafficking of illicit substances, saying they were harmful to their health and to the society.
The Bayelsa governor, who spoke shortly after the weekly Prosperity Walk exercise at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, also urged youths to develop themselves by acquiring a skill and work towards actualising their God-given potential.
“We just completed a nine to 10km walk, which is a test of our fitness. As it is said, health is wealth.
“Today is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. We are not only observing the global campaign, we are also leading it here in Bayelsa.
“No one in his right senses goes to commit crime and violent acts except that individuals are under the influence of hard drugs. My advice to youths is to be self-confident, have the fear of God and develop your innate potential for you to become a star.”
He implored youths to emulate the shining example of a Bayelsa-born United States-based athlete, Victory Godah, who was discovered through the state’s sports programmes.
He commended her gesture of donating sporting equipment as a way of giving back to the state.
“Victory Godah from Ekeremor local government area was discovered here and because of her skill, she is now at the University of Minnesota, United States. She has given back to the state through sports equipment so that more of us can have that access.”
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, emphasised the importance of the weekly walk, stating that participants above 40 years would have their blood pressure controlled after taking about 5,000 steps.
Also, state chairman of the Drug Abuse, Addiction, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee, Dr Peter Owonaro, said the committee’s outreach in the state had been a huge success, noting that a recent research indicated that the drug abuse prevalence rate in Bayelsa dropped by five per cent from 21.4 per cent.
Also, the state commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kanu Sunny, lauded the state government for its unprecedented support in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
He said the campaign was taken to secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions and encouraged all to join in the war against the menace.
Foreign News
Ally of Cameroon President, 92, Quits ‘Broken’ Government to Challenge Him

Issa Tchiroma Bakary – a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya – has quit Cameroon’s government, in the hope of ending 92-year-old Biya’s four-decade grip on power in upcoming elections.
Just four months before the central African nation went to the polls, Tchiroma said the Biya administration he belonged to had “broken” public trust and he was switching to a rival party.
“A country cannot exist in the service of one man,” he said on Wednesday.
While he was communications minister, Tchiroma notably came under fire for denying – then backtracking on his denial – that Cameroonian soldiers had killed women and children in a viral video.
His other roles during almost two decades in government include being a spokesman for the Biya government, and, until his resignation on Tuesday, he was employment minister.
Paul Biya – the world’s oldest head of state – has yet to confirm if he will attempt an eighth term as president. Last year, the country banned reports on the president’s health following rumours he had died.
As this election approaches, high unemployment and soaring living costs are of concern to many Cameroonians, as are corruption and security. A separatist insurgency in the English-speaking provinces as well as jihadists operating in the northernmost region have forced many thousands of Cameroonians from their homes in the past decade.
Cracks in Tchiroma’s relationship with President Biya were blown open earlier this month, when he told crowds in his home city of Garoua that Biya’s time in power had not benefited them in any way.
Tchiroma, widely reported to be 75, continued this criticism in a 24-page manifesto released a day after his resignation – promising to dismantle “the old system” so that Cameroon could move beyond “abuse, contempt, and the confiscation of power”.
One of his proposed solutions is federalism – he is offering to hold a referendum on devolving more power to Cameroon’s 10 provinces. This has long been mooted by many as a solution to the country’s so-called Anglophone crisis.
Specifically addressing English-speaking Cameroonians, who have long complained of marginalisation and discrimination in Francophone-dominated public institutions, he said “you do not need people to speak for you – you need to be listened to” and that “centralisation has failed”.
Tchiroma also used his manifesto to say Cameroon “has been ruled for decades by the same vision, the same system. This model, long presented as a safeguard of stability, has gradually stifled progress, paralysed our institutions, and broken the bond of trust between the state and its citizens”.
As the October presidential election approaches, rights groups have condemned the government’s crackdown on dissent.
Shortly after Tchiroma announced his plans to run for the presidency, the government reportedly announced a ban on all political activities by his Cameroon National Salvation Front (CNSF) party in a sub-district of the Far North region – a part of the country where he is said to be an influential power-broker.
Weeks earlier, fellow presidential hopeful Maurice Kamto had his movements curtailed during a two-day police stakeout in Douala, after promising supporters at a rally in Paris that he would protect Biya and his family if he wins in October.
Parliamentary elections that were also supposed to take place earlier this year have been delayed until 2026.
Reaction to Tchiroma’s presidential bid has been mixed – some think he is canny.
“By positioning himself as the elder statesman who ‘saw the fire coming’, Tchiroma is hedging that his break with Biya will be seen as bold – not opportunistic,” Cameroonian analyst and broadcaster Jules Domshe said.
“From economic fallout to youth unemployment, insecurity, and growing unrest in the North-West, South-West, and Far North [regions], Cameroon is ripe for change.”
Opposition voices are divided – some want Tchiroma to support Kamto, who was the runner-up in 2018 with 14% of votes. But others say he is tainted by his long association with Biya.
“He cannot embody change… He was part of the system for too long. The youth do not trust him,” says Abdoulaye Harissou, a legal notary and prominent critic once detained by the government.
Another member of the opposition – Jean Michel Nintcheu of the APC coalition – simply said: “We don’t see Tchiroma as a potential winner.”
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