31/08/2020
PROFILE OF:
THE MAN, BARR. PHILLIP PETER ISA NYITNI
BARR. PHILLIP PETER ISA NYITNI hails from Fogol Village of Kwa District of Quaan Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State. His father was Mernyand and his mother a Kwalla from Loegoed. His father was also a Policeman. At an early age, he relocated to Kaduna to join his father who was then working in Kaduna.
Barr. Phillip’s paternal grandmother Homsuk who hailed from Montol land was a blood relation of the late HRH Shaldas Dongkwap II, the late Long Goemai. It is said that that Peter Isa, Barr Phillip’s father who was born in Kwande was brought up by the late Long Goemai who sent him to join the Nigeria Police Force.
EDUCATION:
Barr. Phillip attended LEA Primary School Kabala Costain, Kaduna from there he proceeded to Nakam Memorial Secondary School, Panyam where he completed his secondary Education. He thereafter was admitted into Kaduna Polytechnic to read Business Administration. It was while in the course of this study that one of his lecturers then, MR. PETER JIYA [a former two term member of the House of Representatives from Niger State] encouraged him to read law owing to his avid interest and good performance in Business Law, which was then being taught by Mr. Jiya.
Barr. Phillip went on to write JAMB exams of 1984 in which he scored 294 and was offered admission into the University of Jos to read Law. On completion of his degree in Law in 1988, he proceeded to the Nigeria Law School where he successfully graduated.
Barr. Nyitni is a member of many professional groups principal amongst which are:
The International Construction Law Group
NYSC EXPERIENCE
Barr. Phillip was posted to the then Bendel State and was sent to a construction company, PAULOSA NIGERIA LIMITED in Benin for his primary assignment. Interestingly, he was the only corps member who had an official car assigned to him at the place of his primary assignment. It was said that the first case he handled with the former Attorney General Bendel State Barr. Odigie (who was in practice then), he recovered one of the company’s vehicles that was illegally taken away by some people. On taking the car to the company, he was assigned the same vehicle as his official car.
It is said that Barr. Phillip was so hard working that two months to the end of the NYSC Scheme, the company interviewed and employed him as Legal Services Official pending the completion of the service year.
WORKING EXPERIENCE
Barr. Phillip did his Law Office attachment with NIYI OYETUNDE & CO in Jos and was offered appointment in this office where he worked briefly before he returned to take up the appointment with PAULOSA NIGERIA LIMITED.
He worked with Paulosa from 1990 where as a green horn he was attached to BARR. S. I. UROHIGHIDE [Senator Mathew Uroghide’s brother] who was the Controller of Administration and later Vice President Corporate Affairs of the company.
When in 1992, PAULOSA entered into a joint venture partnership with some European companies, Barr. Phillip was seconded to this joint venture to represent PAULOSA.
In 1992, the Babangida regime challenged Nigerian engineers to build the second Niger Bridge, through the instrumentality of PAULOSA, he was appointed Company Secretary/Legal Adviser of ENGINEERING GUILD CONSTRUCTION LIMITED, the company established by the Nigeria Society of Engineers to handle the construction of the bridge after it was designed by the NSE. The President of PAULOSA was also the Chairman of this company.
Barr. Phillip left PAULOSA in 1995 to go into private legal practice. He established his firm, PHILLIP NYITNI & CO and became external solicitor and adviser to so many individuals and corporate bodies amongst which are:
Nigerian Society of Engineers
Bam-Darley Nigeria Limited
Xavier Oil and Gas Limited
Redstar Oil and Gas Limited
Roche Construction Nigeria Ltd.
RG Holdings International Ltd.
Parkmore Construction Ltd.
Gigaplus Plc.
Shanid Abia Palm.
Dangote Transport Ltd.
FORAY INTO POLITICS
Barr. Phillip Isa’s political journey began in the University of Jos when in 1986 he was elected Public Relations Officer of the Law Students’ Society in a keenly contested election which produced Hon. Nkem Abonta [a present three term Member of the House of Representatives] from Abia as President.
Barr. Phillip Isa’s pragmatic approach to politics came into when against all odds he went and convinced the late Col. Yohanna Madaki [rtd] to come and present a paper to University of Jos during the annual Law Week activities of the Faculty of Law. Col. Madaki at that time was a hot cake due to the problems he had with the Babangida administration which led to his removal as the governor of Gongola State.
In the course of the preparations for the lecture, the University authority expressed concern over the invitation especially if Col. Madaki made any unguarded statements. Barr. Phillip Isa was summoned by the school authority where he assured them that there would no problem. However, the school authority was still not comfortable because the Vice-Chancellor who was to chair the lecture did not turn up and the late Dr. Hassan Lawal [former Minister of Labour and Works and Housing] was drafted in as chairman by Barr. Phillip.
Barr. Phillip Isa’s foray into politics began in 1997 when he registered as a member of the United Nigeria Congress Party [UNCP]. He indicated interest to contest for House of Representatives but sportsmanly stepped down for Hon. Jafaru Damulak. In 1999, he became a member of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP]. He again stepped down his ambition in favour of the same Jafaru Damulak who went on to win the election and served two terms.
In 2003, Hon. Barr. Phillip due to the unfavourable political climate in PDP, he decamped to the ALL NIGERIA PEOPLES PARTY [ANPP] on whose platform he contested the seat of the House of
Representatives to represent Quaan Pan, Shendam and Mikang Federal constituency. He lost this election in controversial circumstances to Hon. Jafaru Damulak.
Not daunted by the loss, Barr. Phillip Isa returned to the Peoples Democratic Party and contested the primary elections of the Peoples’ Democratic Party [PDP] in 2006 against Hon. Josephat Dawam and lost again.
In the year 2007 and 2011, Barr. Phillip did not contest but he worked assiduously for the victory of the Peoples’ Democratic Party at the elections. He returned to active elective contest again in 2015 where he lost at the primary election to the late Godfrey Dadong. Not bothered by the loss, he worked hard to ensure that Godfrey Dadong won the general election.
TODAY, Barr. Phillip Isa has presented himself again to contest the senatorial seat of the Southern Zone of Plateau State at the Senate.
