By Divine Sam
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken complete control of the Plateau State House of Assembly following the unexpected resignation of the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dewan, on Wednesday.
Dewan, who was elected under the Young Progressives Party (YPP), stepped down amid mounting political tension in the state. In an emergency plenary session held at the temporary Assembly Complex within the Old Government House in Jos, lawmakers unanimously elected Hon. Nanloong Daniel of the APC as the new Speaker. Daniel, who previously served as Majority Leader and represented Mikang State Constituency in the 9th Assembly, now assumes the mantle of leadership.
Hon. Ajang Azi, also from the APC and representing Jos North West Constituency, was chosen as Deputy Speaker. Other key principal positions were equally filled by APC members, firmly placing the Assembly under the party’s control.
Dewan remains the only non-APC member in the 24-member legislative body after a Court of Appeal ruling earlier removed all lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), drastically altering the Assembly’s political landscape.
Political observers see Dewan’s resignation as part of a broader reconciliation effort to ease the prolonged legislative-executive rift in the state. Sources disclosed that his exit came after a high-level closed-door meeting involving Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Dewan, and other influential political figures.
With APC now dominating the legislature, analysts believe the power shift may push for greater alignment with the federal government, heightening speculation about the governor’s potential defection to the ruling party.
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