33 Facts About Damishi Sango

Damishi Sango was a challenger to become the People's Democratic Party governorship candidate for Plateau State in 1999 and 2007, and ran for Plateau State governor on the Alliance for Democracy platform in 2003.

Damishi Sango was born on 1 January 1950 in Ganawuri, in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and belongs to the Aten minority ethnic group.

Damishi Sango obtained a grade II teacher's certificate in 1973 and began working as an elementary school teacher, later becoming headmaster.

Damishi Sango was appointed to the boards of Jos International Breweries and the Christian Pilgrim's Welfare Board.

In 1987 Sango was elected Chairman of the Barakin Ladi Local Government Area in Plateau State.

Damishi Sango was thought to have come second in the PDP primaries after Jang, with Dariye third.

Damishi Sango was sworn in as Sports Minister in June 1999 in President Olusegun Obasanjo's first cabinet.

Damishi Sango later confessed that he knew nothing about sports when assigned the job.

In December 2009, Damishi Sango criticized the practice of constantly replacing sports ministers after a year or so in office.

Damishi Sango recommended that they should have a 10-year tenure, so they could have time to make real improvements, and could be held accountable for results.

In November 2002, after leaving office, Damishi Sango said there was a "mafia" in the ministry of sports that would frustrate any minister's policy or program.

Damishi Sango made similar criticisms of the Nigeria Football Association, which were echoed by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora in 2008 when he accused the "mafia" of stifling the growth of Nigerian sports.

Damishi Sango was booed by the crowd in July 2000 when he attended an Athletics Championship before the Sydney Olympics, due to the poor state of preparation for the Olympics.

In November 2000, Damishi Sango faced a panel probing the poor performance of the Nigerian contingent at the Olympic games, testifying at a six-hour closed hearing.

In January 2000, Damishi Sango flew to Malaga, Spain to visit the Super Eagles camp and check the progress of their training for the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria.

In June 2000, Damishi Sango attempted to resolve a disagreement between the Nigeria Football Association and Minaj Broadcast International related to the marketing of national league matches.

Damishi Sango faced criticism over employment of Dutch football coach Johannes Bonfrere, but in June 2000 supported him on a TV sports show, citing Bonfrere's in-depth technical knowledge of the game.

Damishi Sango defended Bonfrere again in October 2000 after Nigeria's poor performance at the Olympics, saying that he did his best.

Damishi Sango was tough on doping, and directed the Olympic sports chairmen to monitor their athletes to avoid any embarrassment over the use of banned drugs.

In November 2000, Damishi Sango challenged National Sports Association chairmen to use the 12th National Sports Festival in Bauchi as a way of discovering budding athletes to represent Nigeria internationally in the future.

Damishi Sango praised establishment of grassroots soccer outfits in rural areas, describing them as a move in the right direction and calling on individuals and corporate bodies to give support.

In October 2001 it was reported that Damishi Sango and retired Air Commodore Jonah Jang had reached an agreement to cooperate in removing the current party leadership in Plateau State, dominated by Governor Dariye, before competing independently for the post of governor.

In March 2002 Damishi Sango described Dariye's recent creation of new districts and Chiefdoms as cosmetic, doing nothing to solve the urgent need to improve road and hospitals, power, water and schools.

Dariye announced the formation of a group called the Plateau Elders Unity Forum, saying Jang and Damishi Sango were among the members, but they were not consulted before their names were announced.

At a massive political rally in Jos Damishi Sango told the crowd that he was just a symbol of the aspirations of ordinary men and women in the state, and described local leaders as the real moving spirit of the party.

Damishi Sango rejoined the PDP, and was one of the main challengers to Jonah Jang in the 2007 Plateau State PDP governorship primaries.

Damishi Sango was supported in his bid by Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who had been assisted in gaining his seat by Dariye but had later worked for Dariye's impeachment.

Damishi Sango was unsuccessful, with Jang winning the primaries and going on to be elected governor.

Damishi Sango became part of a PDP faction in Plateau State that was opposed to Jonah Jang.

Damishi Sango was invited to talk with President Umaru Yar'Adua, but denied that the discussion had anything to do with the incident.

Damishi Sango went further, alleging that Jang and his PDP followers had begun discussions with opposition parties to form an alternative platform in the 2011 elections.

Damishi Sango could be handicapped by coming from an ethnic minority, but had the advantage of being broadly acceptable to religious groups.

An article in the Tribune paid Damishi Sango a backhanded compliment, saying he possibly lacked the necessary financial resources to run for election due to having invested much over the years in politics with little return.