PROSPECTIVE PLATEAU SENATORS IN 2015 By Shabul Mazadu The 2015 general elections promises to depart from the previous ones; especially that it is indicating to be such where the electorate will rely on dossiers of candidates rather than blind casting of votes like in time past. In fact, observers of political developments across the federation postulate that unlike previous elections, next year’s will be based on track records of the contestants and nothing short of that. Should that be correct, one can conveniently attempt to draw out list of prospective Senators that will represent the state at the hallowed red chambers come 2015. Investigation by The Beacon on the forthcoming senatorial contest indicates that the most favoured for the Senate job come 2015 may include Dr. Jonah David Jang, the incumbent Governor, who reports say is gunning for the Plateau North Senatorial District. Jang is visibly a new entrant in the pursuit of a seat at the red chamber. Should Jang win, the area of representation, will cover Bassa, Jos North, Jos East, Jos South, Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas respectively. At the moment, the state governor is said to be facing the only challenge for the ticket from Amb. Ibrahim Pada Kasai who is a one-time Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine and the PDP Chairman of the Northern Senatorial District. Albeit Kasai’s challenge, Jang stands to benefit from a number of factors like his incumbency. Again, the infrastructural advantage he has successfully brought to the zone in his over 7 years in office as well as the status of the sovereign leader of his tribe which dominate the zone as a single populous tribe, will work for his emergence, no doubt. In the race for Central zone is Senator Joshua Dariye who has gone first leg and seeks to go second. The district he represents covers his native Bokkos Local Government Area. Others are Mangu, Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam Local Government Areas respectively. On his dossier are incumbency; a formidable political structure, making to surpass any possible contender for the same seat, should someone dare it, even though, Chief Alexander Molwus- former Chief of Staff to Plateau State Government and former Adviser to Governor Jang on Political Matters is mentioned on the list of would-be-contenders. Further on the list are the various empowerment projects he initiated that touched what pundits said a wide spectrum of his jurisdiction. A survey carried in the area suggests that the senator who is former governor has an army of youths on scholarships with a number of community- oriented activities that has endeared him as achiever against abysmal records of previous occupants of the seat. His political weight could be demonstrated when a mention is made of how he beat the ruling party-PDP to the same seat when he contested on the platform of the Labour Party. Now that he has returned to the same party he dislodged the last time, his good will is described by observers of events to be much more than envisaged. Unlike the northern senatorial zone, the central zone has quite a number of contestants for the seat, among which is the serving member of Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam in the federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Go’ar who before the return of Dariye to the PDP was a considerable force. The current equation in the area does not seem to sway in his favour, if opinion poll is anything to rely on. And also in the contest is Abbas Dayilim former top banker with zenith Bank. The southern senatorial zone the preferred zone to produce the successor of governor Jang in office come next year, seem to have quite a number of aspirants jostling to replace the serving senator Victor Lar who has picked the form to run for the guber seat. For instance, on the list are General Jeremiah Timbut Usein who may be giving his second shot at the seat come next year. His acceptability is no doubt broad, especially in his native LGA of Langtang North and south. Reports have shown that the acceptability of the Sardaunan Plateau and Nasarawa transcends his zone, and may come to bear when he throws his hat in the contest ring. As it were, he has paid his dues in terms of societal upliftment and empowerment of the people, especially the youths who constitute the largest chunk of voters next year. The southern zone covers Langtang North and South LGAs, Wase, Shendam, Mikang and Quanpan. Interestingly however, is that the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Dame Pauline Tallen is equally in the race for the coveted seat. She is one person who is adjudged to have a large pool of followers that if translated to votes will out-stage any other contender in the zone. She is said to be large-hearted, accessible, and down-to-earth, attributes that have endeared her to many would be voters. Dame Tallen has been described as philanthropist and one individual responsible for a number of empowerment programmes that have turned out a number of beneficiaries who fondly call her “Mama”. Her support base is said to spread across the entire state and the zone, beyond her Shendam LGA. Her shot at the governorship of the state in 2011 against governor Jang provided a litmus test of her political dexterity, which is still intact and deployable even in the Senate race. Her chance is evergreen. Equally vying for the senate seat is: Hon. George Daika, former honourable member of the federal House of Representatives for Quanpan, Mikang and Shendam. George Daika was a representative from 2007-2011 during which he created his mark in the polity. He is undoubtedly a formidable contender for the seat.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 07:09:11 +0000
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