Ex-Governor, standing trial for N6.3bn fraud, declares to run for President with PDP

Former Plateau state governor,

Jang, a serving Senator representing Plateau North senatorial district, made the announcement at the PDP Secretariat in Jos, Plateau State capital, on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

While speaking on Tuesday, Jang promised to save Nigeria from insecurity and end the the cheapening of lives. He also promised to restructure the country in respect to demands by Nigerians.

He said, "We will give this nation security results, we will not give excuses or cover up any act of criminality and impunity, whatever the colour and creed of the criminals.

"We will end the cheapening of the lives of Nigerians. Gunmen will be known and traced to their roots, arrested and made to face the law. Nigerians will be proud of their country again.

"Restructuring and reorganising Nigeria to the comfort of all Nigerians is a task I will face with commitment. If we have operated a system for 58 years and Nigerians are asking for a review of the structures, there is no need to delay it further."

He joins a growing list of aspirants who are eyeing the presidential ticket of the opposition party with former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, also expected to declare his intention to contest on Wednesday, August 29.

Jang's N6.3bn fraud trial

Jang's decision to run for president comes despite currently standing trial for alleged misappropriation of N6.3 billion during his time as Plateau governor.

In a 12-count charge filed against him and Yusuf Pam, a former Plateau government official, Jang is accused of mis-using some special funds released to the state government by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Jang is alleged to have misappropriated N2 billion released by the CBN for disbursement to small and medium enterprises in the state under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Funds (MSMEDF).

He is also accused of siphoning the sum of N4.3 billion from the state's treasury through Pam who was working as a cashier in the office of the Secretary to the Plateau State Government at the time.

Even though he was remanded in jail for over a week in May, Justice Daniel Longji, granted him bail on May 24, 2018 and ordered him to deposit his international passport to authorities.

74-year-old Jang was Plateau governor between 2007 and 2015 and is accused of committing the crime just two months to the end of his tenure in 2015.