Dater, Pekop Dawu reports

A former speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Istifanus C. Mwansat has declared that by January 2024, when His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Plateau state, Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang would have been done with the ongoing political battle at the supreme court, a new phase and dimension will emerge in the political space on the Plateau. Rt. Hon. Mwansat made this declaration when a delegation of stakeholders of Pankshin South Constituency on Saturday 16th December, 2023 paid a solidarity visit to Hon. Salome Tanimu Wanglek at her residence in Jos.

Mwansat, who delivered the message of the delegation as its spokesperson noted that they were on the visit to identify with Hon. Salome Tanimu Wanglek and to encourage her to remain strong and steadfast over the sudden termination of her tenure in office by the tribunal that sat at the court of appeal. He reminded her that despite the fact that her stay in office as the member representing Pankshin South Constituency was short lived, she remains the torch bearer of the party (PDP) upon which platform she emerged as the people’s choicest representative, and by extension she remains the torch bearer of the entire constituency having earned the love, admiration and confidence of an overwhelming majority of the constituents, hence she must continue to lead from the front while others follow from behind. “You must therefore remain afloat; even though you have been hit, yet you must not sink but rise and remain afloat to continue to swim through because if you go down, we will all go down”, Mwansat said. According to him, Hon. Salome is currently the most suited to lead the charge as the battle for a greater and stronger Pankshin South Constituency takes another dimension. This will mean that she must remain unwavering and unshakable in her commitment to the struggle assuring her that other stakeholders will be by her side as strong pillars of support with a view to give the people a greater hope for the future. He lauded the towering achievements and powerful signals of purposeful and visionary leadership of Hon. Salome Tanimu Wanglek within the short time she held sway as the member representing Pankshin South Constituency despite the fierce and overwhelming distractions occasioned by the tribunal cases.

The Rt. Hon. former speaker declared that being part of the persons who are closely involved with the ongoing political battle, he has a fair knowledge and understanding of the facts and the reality of the issues as it stands currently hence he is confident that Caleb Mutfwang will emerge victorious at the supreme court thereby paving the way for Plateau state to emerge stronger and bigger. In his words “I am closely involved enough to have a fair knowledge and understanding of the issues as can be obtainable currently from facts emerging from the processes at the supreme court; therefore I have every confidence that we will come out stronger with Mutfwang’s victory at the supreme court. By the time the supreme court affirms the mandate of Governor Mutfwang, a lot will depend on us to cloth him as we cannot allow him to dance naked in the market square having lost all legislative positions at the court of appeal. Even if (God forbid) the supreme court does not affirm the mandate of the overwhelming majority of Plateau people as entrusted upon Governor Mutfwang, it has been established beyond reasonable doubt that the people have made a strong statement; the people’s voices have been heard by the whole world loud and clear and four years is not so long a time to bounce back. My joy is that the governor, despite the myriad of distractions, keeps recording visible achievements and developmental strides across the length and breadth of the state”.

In her response, Hon. Salome Tanimu Wanglek appreciated the delegation for the visit and assured them that she will remain fearless as she leads the movement that will set the stage for a brighter future that will be handed down to generations of constituents in Pankshin South. She expressed happiness over the massive love and support she has always enjoyed from the constituents of Pankshin South hence she cannot afford to give them heartbreak of any kind. She maintained that she has always believed in the supreme will of God, and as her slogan has always been “MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE”; she has since accepted this temporary set back as the will of God while waiting faithfully upon Him for further directions. She appreciated specially the grace of God upon Pankshin South given the mass of credible and competent hands some of whom have been appointed into strategic positions in the Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s led Plateau State Government.

The delegation which was led by the Chairman, Pankshin South PDP Forum, Nandi Peter Kumben was made up of distinguished stakeholders and notable personalities including former deputy local government chairmen of Pankshin (Hons. Jacob Bitmang and Ishaya Baltu), former SUBEB secretary (Mr. Jimmy Pochi), former Director of Press and Public Affairs to former Governor Jonah David Jang (James Mannok) and a host of others on behalf of all who could not make it to the visit.

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A new phase of politics will emerge by January 2024—Rt. Hon. Mwansat