Plateau Senatorial aspirant and member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal constituency in the National Assembly, Istifanus Gyang says he is in support of anyone seeking to run for office along with him in the 2019 General elections.

In a rare display of humility, I.D. Gyang as he is fondly called admitted that every citizen has rights under the constitution to run for any office and such rights should not be suppressed for personal gains.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent, Hon. Gyang said grudging anyone for seeking to run for office along with him would be an affront on democracy and the rule of law which he is known to defend.

He said, “You can’t be advocating for democracy and the rule of law and when it comes to you, you would want to suppress the rights of others.”

Responding to questions on recent expression of interest in the same Senate seat he aspires for by his fellow constituents and kinsmen who have worked closely with him, the legal practitioner and renowned human rights activist forbade his supporters from stopping anyone from contesting.

“There is room for consensus, negotiations, concessions, dialogue and whatever there is to have a peaceful resolution.

“I don’t subscribe to the idea of grudging people for seeking to exercise their constitutional rights.

“We should not muzzle anyone who seeks to exercise his rights and that is the beauty of our democracy.

“When you have such a situation where an individual comes up to declare his interest in a particular office, you have no right to stop him.

“As a democrat, the political space permits everyone to express his interest.

“What happens under such circumstances is that people will be given the chance to determine who they would want to give their mandate to,” Gyang stated.

The emergence of contestants from his constituency therefore is not a cause for worry, but a welcomed development, he said.

“If you are called into an elective office, then you have the backing of God and the people and I’m excited about this.

“I want to tell you that the eternal purposes, ordinances, plans, agenda, mandate and calling of God will always prevail no matter the controversy, contradiction or contestation. It is a simple and clear thing to me and it is not a challenge,” he stressed.

The rep member assured that his aspiration is for service which he will always avail for within or outside public office.

He said, “It is a call to service and the room for service is not just in an elective office.

“The room to service is limitless. Service to humanity is all about the gifting that God had endowed us with so that we can be of help to humanity.

“We  have people that are volunteering to be of service to humanity in diverse ways. It is not just in an elective office.”

Hon. Gyang had few weeks ago expressed interest to run for the Plateau Northern Senatorial seat which is currently being occupied by his former Principal and Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang.

Jang who is running for the Presidency seat was said to have pledged his backing after reportedly opposing Hon. Gyang’s aspiration for the reason that they were both from the same ethnicity.

One of the latest aspirants in the Senate Seat and former co-appointee of ID Gyang under the Jang administration, Francis Bot is however thought to be aspiring under the influence of his former boss, Sen. Jang.

Mr. Bot who had allegedly influenced a to executive of the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN), Jos, Dr. Daniel Kim to aspire along with ID Gyang declared interest in the same Senate seat on Thursday.

Sources however say his declaration came under heavy scrutiny by the party elders in his ward in Fan District who had reportedly pledged their loyalty to Hon. Gyang.

It is however not known if Mr. Bot has decided to withdraw his support for both Hon. Gyang and Dr. Kim, both of whom are his close allies or simply begin publicity campaign ahead of subsequent elections.

Efforts to get Mr. Bot’s mobile contacts for comments were unsuccessful as of publishing time.

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2019: In rare display of humility, Plateau Rep member, ID Gyang admits fellow constituents have rights to contest for Senate with him