by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
A new Speaker and Deputy Speaker have emerged in the Plateau State House of Assembly.
They are Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dawang, representing Pankshin North State Constituency and Rt. Hon. Timothy Dantong, representing Riyom Constituency, respectively.
The election and subsequent swearing-in of the two Legislators became necessary, following the resignation of the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Moses Thomas Sule, and his Deputy Rt. Hon. Gwottson Fom, who announced their respective resignations during plenary on 21th Nov, 2023.
Before his emergence this afternoon, as Speaker, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dawang has been the only Member elected under the platform of the Youth Progressive Party (YPP), representing Pankshin North State Constituency, in the State Assembly.
The former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sule, who represented Mikang Local Government Area, and his Deputy, Hon. Gwottson Fom (for Jos South constituency), in the State Assembly, were elected unopposed by their colleagues and have presided over the legislative business of the present 10th Assembly, since June 13th, 2023, when the House was officially inaugurated.
In their respective remarks, shortly after the resignation, the immediate past legislative leaders thanked their colleagues for the trust accorded them during the period of their leadership of the House, and pledged their loyalty to the new leadership of the Assembly.
Also addressing the Assembly, after his swearing-in as Speaker, the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dawan, also thanked his colleagues for considering him and the other new principal officers capable to pilot the affairs of the House at this critical moment.
Earlier, before his resignation, the immediate past Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sule, had announced that the House now has a new Acting Clerk and Deputy, in the persons of Mr Bary Nicholas and Mrs Plangnaan Dimlong, respectively, while DSP Nanshap N. Youmbap (rtd), and AWO John Sokowar Emmanuel (rtd), are now the new Sergeant-at-Arm and Deputy Sergeant-at-Arm.
Similarly, the former Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Agbalak, representing Rukuba/Irigwe Constituency, whose election was quashed last week, has been replaced with Hon. Danjuma Azi, who represents Jos North-West in the House, while Hon. Nanbol of Langtang North-Central constituency, whose election was also upturned by the Election Appeal Tribunal, was replaced by Hon. Langyi Nannim of Langtang North-North constituency as Deputy Whip of the State Assembly.
While the House later adjourned to resume on January 23rd, next year, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dawang, however, enjoined the Members to use the break to consult widely with the people in their various constituencies to enlighten them on the current political trend in the state.