Constituents from Mikang have publicly rejected Speaker Naanlong Daniel’s bid for a fourth term in the Plateau State House of Assembly.
The constituents made their position known during a rally held on Thursday in Tunkus, the headquarters of Mikang Local Government Area in southern Plateau State.
Speaking at the gathering, former member of the House of Representatives for Mikang/Shendam/Quan Pan Federal Constituency, George Deika, described the Speaker’s renewed ambition as unacceptable.
Deika stated that since the creation of Mikang Local Government Area and the state constituency, no individual had represented the constituency more than once until Naanlong Daniel emerged and secured two terms in office, thereby altering the earlier single-term arrangement.
Also speaking, a stakeholder and one of the founding fathers of Mikang LGA, Barr. Chesil Drenkat, said he personally wrote the memorandum for the creation of Mikang out of Shendam. He argued that the Speaker’s mandate in the state assembly was secured through court processes rather than the votes of constituents.
Drenkat advised the incumbent legislator to seek another political office instead of returning to represent Mikang State Constituency. According to him, the current chairman of Mikang Local Government Area comes from the same district as Naanlong Daniel, and allowing the Speaker to continue after three terms would violate the existing internal zoning arrangement among the people of the area.
He further explained that the name “Mikang” symbolizes brotherhood and fairness among the people.
Another former member of the House of Representatives for Mikang/Shendam/Quan Pan Federal Constituency, Innocent Tiwelsel, also spoke strongly against the Speaker’s return, insisting that the zoning arrangement in the constituency must be maintained.
In separate interviews, Mrs. Lohfe Shadrach, youth leader Shepsing Vumbut, and another youth, Mr. Kisven Hilnan Z., all maintained that zoning should be respected. They stressed that they would not support the re-election of Rt. Hon. Naanlong Daniel for a fourth term.
According to the constituents, the incumbent legislator had previously disrupted the zoning arrangement in Mikang Constituency, and allowing him another term would further undermine the principle of fairness.
The gathering was organized to rally support for Mr. Timdi Nkat, who is seeking to represent Mikang State Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly for the first time. It was gathered that Timdi Nkat is contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Many of the attendees said they were standing for fairness and justice in opposing Naanlong’s re-election bid.
Rt. Hon. Naanlong Daniel, who currently represents Mikang State Constituency under the APC, is seeking re-election for a fourth term in office.
The rally featured traditional displays, as Mikang indigenes appeared in cultural attire, beating native drums and joining the political movement against the Speaker’s fourth-term ambition.
Although the gathering remained peaceful, supporters of Timdi Nkat were seen singing and dancing while expressing support for him ahead of the party primaries and the general elections.
