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Jeremiah Useni

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Lieutenant general
Jeremiah Useni
Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
In office
May 2015 – June 2019
Preceded byVictor Lar
Succeeded byIgnatius Datong Longjan
ConstituencyPlateau South Senatorial District
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
In office
1993–1998
Preceded byGado Nasko
Succeeded byMamman Kontagora
Governor of Bendel State
In office
January 1984 – August 1985
Preceded bySamuel Ogbemudia
Succeeded byJohn Mark Inienger
Personal details
Born
Jeremiah Timbut Useni

(1943-02-16) 16 February 1943 (age 81)[1]
Langtang, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Plateau State, Nigeria)
Political partyPeoples Democratic Party
Military service
Allegiance Nigeria
Branch/service Nigerian Army
Rank Lieutenant general

Jeremiah Timbut Useni (born 16 February 1943) is a retired Nigerian army lieutenant general, who served as minister responsible for the administration of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja under the Sani Abacha military junta. He served Nigeria in various capacities such as Minister for Transport and Quarter-Master General of the Nigeria Army. Useni also served as Deputy Chairman of one of the significant parties in Nigeria, the All Nigeria Peoples Party. He was elected Senator for the Plateau South constituency of Plateau State, Nigeria in the March 2015 national elections.[2] Useni was running on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

Military service

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Useni came to national limelight in Nigeria when he was appointed Military Governor of Nigeria's defunct Bendel State in January 1984. In 1998, Useni then minister for the capital territory of Abuja, was rumored as a successor to General Sani Abacha.[3] Useni states that the decision to appoint Abdulsalami Abubakar instead was based on protocol.[4] Ten years later, Useni insisted Abacha died a natural death, contrary to rumors that he died after eating a poisoned apple.[5]

Speaking in April 2008, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Aliyu Modibbo Umar, blamed problems with the Abuja Master Plan on the administration of Useni as a minister under the Abacha military government.[6]

Political career

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In August 2001, he was appointed head of a delegation from the Arewa Consultative Forum to meet and discuss common goals with Northern state governors and other leaders.[7] In 2003, he was Deputy National Chairman, North for the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).[8] In November 2004, he was locked in an internal ANPP struggle with Chief Donald Etiebet, the National Chairman.[9]

In May 2006, he left the ANPP to become chairman of a new party, the Democratic People's Party, taking with him other members of the progressive wing of the ANPP.[10] However, he was suspended indefinitely in December 2008, for saying the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa was a national sacrifice.[11] He was succeeded by Biodun Ogunbiyi, who criticized Useni's poor leadership, resulting in failure to win any seats in the Senate or House of Representatives in the April 2007 elections.[12] Useni ran for election as Senator for Plateau South in April 2011 on the DPP platform, but was defeated by Victor Lar of the PDP.[13] He later on ran for election as Senator for Plateau South In 2015 under the People's Democratic Party which he won.

Governorship run

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In October 2018, Jeremiah Useni won the party primaries in the PDP to run for Office Of The Governor Of Plateau state under the platform of the People's Democratic Party. He lost in the general election to incumbent Simon Lalong who polled 595, 582 votes to Useni's 546, 813.[14][15] Useni challenged the election of Simon Lalong at the plateau State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on the ground that Lalong was ineligible to assume the position of Governor, having submitted a different certificate to the electoral umpire (INEC) bearing different name to that of the present Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong.[16][17]

The three panel of justices Tribunal led by Justice Halima Salami struck out Useni's petition affirming the election of Lalong for lack of substantial evidence to prove the discrepancy of names in the certificate Lalong submitted to INEC.[18] Useni appealed the judgement of the tribunal at both Appeal Court and the Supreme Court but lost.[19][20][21] The disappointing judgment from the courts ended his 2019 ambition to rule Plateau State.

References

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  1. ^ "Birthdays". Newswatch. Ajah, Lagos, Nigeria: Newswatch Communications. February 2002.
  2. ^ "National Assembly | Federal Republic of Nigeria". Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  3. ^ "Who will succeed Abacha?". BBC News. 1998-06-08. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  4. ^ "Why I did not succeed Abacha as Head of State - Jeremiah Useni". Sunday Daily Trust. 2009-08-23. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  5. ^ "Abacha's death natural, says Useni". Independent Newspapers. 2008-10-28. Archived from the original on 2020-08-09. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  6. ^ Ojeifo, Sufuyan (2008-04-27). "'Useni Bastardised Abuja Master Plan'". This Day. Retrieved 2024-08-29 – via allAfrica.
  7. ^ Nwosu, Steve; Adedoja, Tokunbo (2001-09-01). "One North, Different People". This Day. Archived from the original on 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
  8. ^ "Responses to Information Rrequests (RIRs)". Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 2003-09-08. Retrieved 2009-09-24.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Again, Parallel NEC Meetings Deepen ANPP Crisis". This Day. 2004-11-30. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  10. ^ "Requiem for ANPP". The Sun. 2006-06-19. Retrieved 2009-09-24.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "DPP suspends Useni over comment on Saro-Wiwa". The Guardian. 2008-12-23. Archived from the original on 2020-08-09. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  12. ^ Obeche, Olisemeka (2009-01-14). "Two Party System Best for Country - Ogunbiyi". Daily Independent. Retrieved 2024-08-29 – via allAfrica.
  13. ^ "Lar beats Useni, Shagaya to Senate...Dariye clinches ticket too". Daily Trust. 2011-04-29. Archived from the original on 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  14. ^ "BREAKING: Lalong Defeats Jerry Useni To Retain Plateau Governorship". Sahara Reporters. 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  15. ^ "Lalong defeats PDP's Useni to secure second term". TheCable. 2019-03-24. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  16. ^ Pwanagba, Agabus (2019-06-14). "Plateau guber 2019: PDP, Useni tell court to disqualify Lalong for presenting fake certificate". Daily Post. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  17. ^ Ogunyemi, Ifedayo (2019-03-24). "Plateau governorship election: Useni rejects result, heads to tribunal". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  18. ^ "Tribunal affirms Gov. Simon Lalong's election". The NEWS. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  19. ^ Abdulsalami-Ahovi, Isa (2019-11-30). "Appeal court affirms Lalong's victory". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  20. ^ Oluwafunmilayo, Daramola (2020-01-20). "Supreme Court upholds Tambuwal, Ganduje, Lalong, Bala Mohammed's elections". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  21. ^ Olabimtan, Bolanle (2020-01-20). "Supreme court upholds election of Lalong". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
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