The Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State is better known for its abbreviation of PKK.

Though it’s a contest for a House of Representative seat, the race is attracting wide interest from within and outside Plateau because of the issues and personalities involved.

The incumbent, Yusuf Babayo Gagdi, has been at the forefront of the opposition when the governor, Caleb Muftwang, was in the Peopels Democratic Party, PDP, and because he contested for the Speakership of the House of Representatives in the current dispensation.

Contests for the seat even in the past have been tough as no incumbent has won re-election until the incumbent broke the jinx to win in 2019 and 2023.

Daily Trust gathered that Gagdi is eyeing the seat for the third time as preparations for 2027 are underway with three others: Gabriel Dewan; Hon. Philip Datsun and Henry Gotip.

Dewan, the member representing Pankshin North, is a former speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly is of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and is likely to contest the seat on the party’s platform.

Datsun on the other hand is set to contest on the platform of the PDP, while Henry Gotip is aspiring on the platform of APC.

In 2023, Gagdi, who contested on the platform of APC, defeated Chrysanthus Ziphion of PDP, to break the jinx of continuity from the constituency – a development that many were surprised at, considering that 90 per cent of APC candidates including the then sitting governor, Simon Lalong and the APC governorship candidate, now national Chairman of APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda were defeated at the polls.

Political observers opine that Rep Gagdi’s performance for the constituency in his first tenure, coupled with the influence of the APC national chairman who hails from Kanke, one of the local governments in the constituency, had favored him to defeat Ziphion in the secondary election.

The hurdle for Gagdi

Pundits say with the current mode of party primaries where delegates are no longer required to participate in electing candidates, the next primary is likely to be tougher especially for the incumbent Rep as aspirants need the support of stakeholders within and outside the constituency to pull through.

They say under direct primary if party officials tilt towards tribal sentiments, Gagdi is likely to lose because the Ngas tribe is in the majority in the constituency with two LGAs though Kanam, where Gagdi hails from has the highest voting strength in the constituency.

The issue of zoning is still a burning issue in the constituency, a situation that many observers say may play out if Gagdi finally secures the APC ticket.

Analysts say this might be a problem because the opposition may gang up against his re-election on the basis of rotation of the seat across the three LGAs.

But even with this factor, some observers say if the APC national chairman backs his re-election, he can return to the Green Chamber without much hassles. The calculation is that if Gagdi can significantly deliver votes from Kanam, his LGA of origin, and Nentawe secures Kanke for him, it would be game over for others.

Gagdi, many concede, has supporters from all three LGAs, which can give him an advantage compared to others with no such structures across board.

Our correspondent confirmed that the chairman of the Reps Navy Committee has strong relationship with Nentawe. The relationship was strengthened by the alliance the duo forged during the 2023 elections in which both consolidated on their opposition to the PDP and its candidates including the incumbent governor, Caleb Muftwang.

Before and after the 2023 elections, Rep Gagdi and Governor Mutfwang were in opposing parties and were frequently throwing jabs at each other. The sentiments were so high that many could swear that Gagdi would be the last person Muftwang would want to see return to his seat.

The alliance between Gagdi and Muftwang persisted even after the elections when the governorship tussle went through the tribunal and ended at the Supreme Court with Gagdi personally immersing himself in the fight in support of Nentawe.

But with the current defection of the Governor to the APC and realignment of the governor’s decamp with the APC, there are expectation that the bitterness would wane.

As the Governor’s support is expected to add weight to any candidate regardless of opposition from whichever quarter, our correspondent learnt that Gagdi has been advised to hold on to Mutfwang and not take the fact of their belonging to the same party for granted.

Pundits say if the governor and Nentawe support Gagdi’s reelection, he is more likely to win as the opposition may be threatened by the alliance.

The odds

Concerning the PKK constituency however, many say they cannot foretell the direction both Mutfwang and Nentawe would take as lots of issues are involved.

The first is the issue of zoning where having served two terms, both Kanke and Pankshin would want to produce the next Rep. the other has to do with who gets the senate ticket for the Senate. If either Pankshin or Kanke gets the APC ticket, then Gagdi would have no problems convincing the party stakeholders to leave the ticket for Kanam where he hails from.

The Dewan factor

Dewan who is the immediate past speaker of the Plateau Assembly and member representing Pankshin North is reportedly aspiring for the seat. His political moves has indicated his intention to challenge the incumbent in 2027.

Before Governor Mutfwang’s defection to Gagdi’s party, Dewan had built a good political relationship with the Governor amid political tensions in the state, which many believed he had leveraged on his speakership position to prevent the APC majority house from disrupting the governor, who then had no party member in the house.

Observers said that Mutfwang’s relationship with Dewan is still intact and if he backs him, he would undoubtedly become a headache for Gagdi’s re-election, even if the former Speaker contests on YPP. Many said it is time for the governor to pay back, having held the house for him until the governor got his number right.

The former speaker is undoubtedly popular in the Pankshin North constituency even before he contested for the House of Assembly in 2023. His emergence as the winner of the election then, on the platform of YPP, defeating APC and PDP candidates to many proves his popularity.

Faced with three local governments, things may not be that smooth for Dewan, though his position as a speaker had given him more popularity politically in PKK.

Said one o0f his associates: “Since he became Speaker, Dewan had intended to go for a higher position, and having served as Speaker, he had leveraged the position to gain support from other communities within the federal constituency.”

Philip Datsun, a former member representing Pankshin North is also likely to challenge the Gagdi on the platform of PDP. Datsun though has not been as forward as Dewan and Gagdi, but is believed to be working underground to represent the constituency.

Constituents speak

Philip Monday, a resident of Pankshin says Gagdi says under normal circumstances, would have had no contender but that so many issues have been added to the mix.

He said, “A lot of people are talking about Gagdi’s performance in the constituency. Although Ngas people have never given second opportunity for any politician from the region, Gagdi’s performance has earned widespread recognition and loyalty to be reelected again.

A chieftain of the APC, Isaac Wadak said even with the issue of zoning, the present member representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Gagdi has the right to re-contest for the seat.

He said, those agitating for his removal and adherence of zoning should present someone else that is more credible from the opposition party. Wadak explained further that those who feel that the zoning should be adhere should put sentiment aside and consider his political impact within the period, adding that the Ngas nation under Gagdi witnessed tremendous progress.

A former House of Assembly member from the constituency who does not to be named, said the major odds against Gagdi’s reelections are not from PKK but coming from those outside his constituency.

He said the issue of zoning has never been adhered to strictly by politicians contesting for election in Nigeria. Our correspondent observed that it will soon be clear who the power brokers in the state would back for the constituency seat. (Weekend Trust)