REJOINDER:IPA DISTANCES SELF FROM DOPPA'S NEPOTISTIC APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF PUBLISHERS.

Our attention as concerned and esteemed Publishers in Plateau State has been drawn to to the above disclaimer written by a self serving and self seeking Mr Shabul Mazadu whose antecedents are well known.

Mr Mazadu thrives in toxicity and he is neither here nor there and always willing to be hired by the next or highest bidder and in his latest bid to seek attention and drop names he has added the erudite Dr Gyang Bere the amiable Director of Press and Public Affairs to Plateau State Governor his Excellency Barrister Caleb Mannaseh Muttwang to his list of bile speaking and irrationality.

THE ISSUES.

IPA DISTANCES SELF FROM DOPPA'S NEPOTISTIC APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF PUBLISHERS.

PPA's RESPONSE: ENOUGH OF SHABUL'S INSANITY.

Plateau Publishers Association (PPA) is compelled to respond to Shabul Mazadu's (Independent Publishers Association, IPA) Chairman's unreasonable, baseless and  insane assault on the Director of Press and Affairs (DOPA) to the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Dr Gyang Bere, and PPA.

For the unpteenth time, Shabul Mazadu, Publisher of The Beacon Newspaper has attacked and maligned the name of PPA, Prince Daniel John Bok, Godfrey Sunwar and Philip Zhattau, yet we choose to tow the path of peace and matured reasoning not to respond either as an association or as individuals, because it is said, "when two mad men are fighting, passers bye will not know the difference", but this time around, our silence should not be construed as cowardice.

A mud man looking for who to drag to the mud with him should be ready for the mud fight.

OUR LOGICAL RESPONSE:.

In Mazadu's childishly insane assault, 

1."The Independent Publishers Association, IPA, hereby expresses with total dismay the disgraceful treatment meted to its members by the Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Gyang Bere, who invited them to a media parley with Governor Caleb Mutfwang, and then presented his kinsman, Daniel Bok as the chairman of all Plateau Publishers".

OUR REPONSE;

The disgraceful treatment mated on IPA members by DOPPA as claimed is nothing short of misinformation to the public. The anchor of the press briefing by the Governor of Plateau State, who happens to be a seasoned Journalist, Mr Kenze Gupar, who also doubles as Protocol officer to the Governor set and established the protocol for the occasion even before the DOPA arrived the venue of the event. As part of the protocol, the Chairperson of NUJ, Mrs Ayuku Pwaspo, Chairman of Bloggers Association, Mr Matthew Tegha, and Prince Daniel John Bok were duely recognised as leaders of the various associations. So, it wasn't the DOPA, Dr Gyang Bere that established the protocol, he only followed  suit the protocol already established. Is Shabul Mazadu laying a malicious allegation against the DOPPA? Its left for the reader to judge 

Secondly, Prince Daniel John Bok has served meritoriously as Interim Chairman of PPA for the past 6 months and now seeking election as substantive Chairman. Before then, he had coordinated a unity of all Publishers on the Plateau, firstly, when Chief Nanya Daman, Publisher of Newsgate Magazine (outsted Interim chairman of PPA) lost his wife. Bok successfully united the publishers and tokens were contributed towards the burial of late Mrs Joan Yuwana Daman.

So his recognition as chairman of all publishers was not a new thing to all the Publishers.

2. "We didn't react in the hall yesterday by means of protest, because of the respect we accord the Governor whom we believe was ignorant of Bere's scheme, and for the dignitaries and the entire government funfionaries  that were present".

OUR TAKE:

What was there to react to? The Government has always drummed it to the Publishers to unite for collaboration but because, Shabul Mazadu lost out as interim Chairman of PPA due to highhandedness and incompetence, he decided to break away from PPA, forming a kangaroo association called IPA  permit us to say at this point that PPA is the only Publishers Sssociation on the Plateau that is duely registered with CAC and has a well constituted Board of Trustees  

3. "It's a known fact to Dr Bere that the Publishers in Plateau have no single umbrella, but different groups which are Plateau Publishers Association 1, headed by Chief Ambassador Nanyah Daman, Plateau Publishers Association 2, which had Daniel Bok as chairman, but dissolved the chairmanship and other positions to conduct elections, Independent Publishers Association, IPA, with Shabul Mazadu as chairman, and others who did not align with any group. To our chagrin, Bere, before national and international cameras, Plateau State Governor, Commissioners and other government's appointees and huge number of journalists, arranged the recognition of Daniel Bok as the chairman of all publishers on the Plateau, gave him a special seat and made him snap picture with the governor, which is historical". 

4.The only PPA on the Plateau was headed by Chief Nanya Daman, as an interim Chairman, he is a BoT member of PPA. He was appointed by Chief Amos Gizo (BoT Chairman) who was then spearheading affairs of the association because the then only elected Chairman, Chief Hosea Nash was equally removed from office by a vote of no confidence by a majority of PPA members, so, Gizo who was contesting for governorship of Plateau State had no luxury of time to attend to affairs of the association, decided to hand over to chief Nanya Daman as interim Chairman, though PPA constitution clearly states that a BoT member CANNOT hold or contest any elective position. Daman was to superitend over PPA for 6 months and conduct an election within the 6 months alloted to him. However, he ran the association as a personal family business and held the People's office for 3 years instead of 6 months. Within that period of 3 years, PPA had only 1or 2 congress meetings which was against PPA constitution, more so , activities were grounded by his lack of good leadership.when PPA members woke up from their slumber, infolding events compelled them to meet and he was eventually impeached as Interim Chairman of PPA. Prince Daniel John Bok was unanimously elected as interim Chairman of PPA in January 2025 to serve for 6 months and conduct elections.

Going by this, the DOPPA has no hand in the affairs of PPA, there is no PPA 2. Daman has since then been parading himself as PPA National Chairman, PPA is only domiciled in Plateau and has no national body.

Where is Mazadu going with this notion since he broke  away from PPA, what business does he have with PPA?

 

4. "We felt used by Bere as means of promoting his kinsman, whom also I learnt is his cousin to be accepted by the governor and be communicating with the government on our behalf.

Bere has the right to appoint his choice to lead a faction of publishers who choose to align with him, but not the entire publishers, and that, without their consent 

This act is fraudulent and total deception, mischievous and cruel because we have been humiliated and disgraced before all the attendees and all who watched it on television". 

Dr Gyang Bere is in no way related to Prince Daniel John Bok. We hope Shabul Mazadu can prove his misleading allegation on this in the court of law when the need arises, because this amounts to false and maliagning allegation against innocent law abiding individuals 

5. "IPA is issuing a stern warning to Bere that it will not tolerate any form of fraud using it again. If he wants to promote his kinsman and cousin, he should follow the right channel.

He is in government and has the right to create leadership for Bok and use him to report all government activities without dragging us into his schemes.

He can form his Publishers Association and make Bok his kinsman the chairman, and ensure that it has nothing to do with us in any way especially giving the impression that we are subject

 to him"

Again, the defamation of character sets in, this time around with "fraud" as additional grounds to be interpreted by the law. 

6. "We will not take any  imposition of leadership on us without our consent. 

It appears Dr Bere is idle that's why he could cooked up such mischief, in case of any repeat, we will keep him busy till he has no time to take bath. 

Please the general public should take note, Daniel Bok is not the Chairman of publishers on the Plateau. He was the chairman of PPA2 which is now led by an ELCOM chairman who will soon conduct elections"

Dr Gyang Bere has discharged his duties as DOPA honorable, else his Excellency, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang would have conveniently replaced him, who then is Shabul Mazadu to cast such aspersions on his person simple because he was not recognised? 

The general public are aware of Mazadu's recent outburst and total disrespect for the person of former Governor Simon Lalong, simplu because he was myopically campaigning for Chief Jshua Dariye to become APC national chairman.

 

7. "Thank you and God bless.

. 

Signed:

Shabul Mazadu 

IPA Chairman"

Should Shabul Mazadu be taken seriously by anyone? Should those he maligned their names let it slide?

SALIENT ISSUES.

Is IPA a registered group, when and by who? 

Who are the officials and how did he emerge as Chairman and since when? 

Where is their office located? 

Are security agents or regulatory bodies aware of their existence? 

Why was IPA comatose and its members became IDP self acclaimed journalists during the 6 months interim tenure Prince Daniel John Bok?

Did Dr. Gyang Bere, the DOPPA invite them as IPA or PPA and was he invited in the capacity of Chairman? 

What is wrong to align with his kinsman especially when he is a more qualified, tested and a trusted leader in his own right to lead PPA in comparison with Shabul Mazadu who is an unknown, self acclaimed and self appointed leader of an illegal and illegitimate group? 

When did Dr. Gyang Bere become a Publisher or member of either IPA or PPA? 

Was Dr. Gyang Bere the anchor of the interaction who introduced or presented Daniel Bok as Chairman? Does he think Government business or events are run in the 

same way he runs the kangaroo group IPA, without recourse to due diligence and high regard for protocol

With all respect to all stakeholders who know the antecedents of Mr Shabul Mazadu and his "dark Arts " of media calumny we put on notice that we deal with facts and the rule of law not speculation and mere media gangsterism and brigandage the forte of Mr Mazadu.

SIGNED FOR

PPA DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.