Despite the mixed feelings that greeted the impeachment of Hon. Yusuf Gagdi as former deputy speaker, Plateau state House of Aseembly, youths from Kantana constituency have continued to pour solidarity for their representative. The solidarity came when Gagdi visited his constituency for a town hall meeting with his constituents and hundreds of youths came out to welcome and usher him in. In a post on facebook by the youths through their leader Jaafaru Musa From Wawus in Kantana Constituency of kanam LGA, the youths expressed their solidarity to Gagdi and promised to stand by him through his moments of trial. The post reads thus,

”Despite the sober reflection on people’s faces, indicative of their displeasure with the recent ill motivated ouster of Rt. Hon. Yusuf Gagdi as the Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, the people of Kanam thronged in droves to give a heroic reception to the lawmaker as he arrives the local government headquarters in a routine homecoming.

What was meant to be a low-key homecoming reflective of the sad occasion, turned out to be a huge celebration reminiscent of a heroic accomplishment akin to a hunter that killed lion in a hunting expedition.

The local government guest house hall in Dengi was agog with mammoth crowd to cheer the ousted leader and show solidarity with him as he continues his representation not as a principal officer of the House.

Notwithstanding that Dengi as the local government headquarters of Kanam is part of the constituency of Gagdi’s successor as the Deputy Speaker, the ill feelings and visible animosity held towards Rt Hon Sale for his role in the removal of Rt Hon Gagdi was palpable.

Side talks at the gathering portrays the new DSP, Sale Shehu as the Judas in the whole imbroglio, citing his earlier support for Amos Kumtul from Langtang North-Central Constituency to emerge as the Deputy Speaker against his brother from Kanam, as unpatriotic and envious of Gagdi.

The mammoth gathering showered accolades and encomium on Gagdi for showing maturity and sportsmanship by seconding the motion to that makes SY his successor, not minding his role in Gagdi’s impeachment.

The former Deputy Speaker had to literally go on his knees to beg the people of Kanam to support SY to succeed in his new responsibility, while acknowledging that power comes from Allah, and that He alone gives power to whom he desires at any point in time.

In view of the harmonious and mutual power relationship between the Jhar and Bogghom people in the local politics of Kanam, and the acrimonious and backstabbing attitude of SY right from day one, owing to his support for Kumtul against his Kanam brother and the subsequent hatching of the impeachment plot that catapulted him to the seat he coveted from his brother, the political alliance between the Bogghom and Jhar people need to be revisited and rehashed for future purposes.

It is incumbent to reflect on the precious illegal removal of principal officers of the PLHA, starting from Daika who later went to the House of Representatives, Lalong who was not only removed as Speaker, but whose seat was declared vacant and now is the governor of Plateau State. This is not to mention the likes of Goar who was removed as Speaker and later went to Reps and Shekarau who was removed as Deputy Speaker and now a member of the House of Representatives, while nemesis caught up with those who orchestrated their respective removals.

With these precedents, we consoled that this act of backstabbing of Gagdi with the active participation of his brother from Dengi constituency is a stepping stone to Gagdi’s God ordained destiny.

But as for SY, we indulge him to make peace with not only GAGDI, but find a way of placating the entire people of Kantana Constituency for his treacherous act to avoid the nemesis that befell his ilk in the past.

Despite his effort to calm frayed nerves and wagging tongues on the treacherous role of the new Deputy Speaker, many observers of unfolding events in the political landscape of Kanam local government area express reservations on the ability of the the new Deputy Speaker to sustain the tempo of practical political leadership provided by Gagdi, not only in the area, but the state in general.”

count | 336

Why we gave Hon. Yusuf Gagdi heroic welcome in Kanam – Constituency Youths