GAGDI AND THE 2023 BROUHAHA
Much noise is being made about who vies for what in the 2023 general elections.
As much as the present set of elected leaders are not quite halfway into their 4-year mandate, means 2023 elections is farfetched.
However, any discussion regarding the next election becomes more audacious any time the name ‘GAGDI’ is mentioned. This is rightly so for obvious reasons.
The emergence of Gagdi in 2019 had taken a lot of political analysts and gladiators by surprise. Many had written him off as a pretender in the contest. Not because he lacked the capacity to emerge and deliver his mandate as the representative of the good people of Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, but basically due to primordial considerations.
His ethnic group is one of the minorities in the constituency and his religious belief as a Muslim, placed him at a disadvantaged position to win the election, especially with the ethnic and religious sentiments been propagated during the electioneering process and both the entire PKK and within Kanam, his home Local Government.
Though not unmindful of the disadvantages enumerated above, Gagdi was convinced of his electoral victory because of his believe in God as the only Giver of power to whom He pleases, and the dogged electioneering campaign he had embarked upon; touring ALL the electoral wards in the constituency more than twice to meet the electorate and give them convincing reasons why they should vote for him.
The result of that robust electioneering outing is now history, by the grace of God. And the report card of his 19 months of his stewardship as the member representing PKK, has been quite commendable.
He has left even his worst critics in awe of how he has been able to achieve so much in a short time, even as a first term lawmaker at the National Assembly.
Gagdi’s commendable performance has made him a household name in the politics of Plateau state, and a factor in the political permutations for 2023.
There is no denying the fact that Gagdi is the youngest politician in Plateau State with the largest support base that cuts across ethnic and religious divides. Well educated, with his PhD in view in Security and Strategic Studies and cosmopolitan in his nexus of friendship.
This explains why his political detractors are having sleepless nights guessing his 2023 ambition. But what they don’t know about Gagdi is that he is NOT the inordinately ambitious type.
In a meeting with his over 50 aides at his residence in Rayfield few days ago, Gagdi told them in unequivocal terms that he is more interested in participating to choose a better governor for Plateau State from the central zone, than returning to the National Assembly. He said he is willing to lay down any thought of contesting election in 2023 to support a credible gubernatorial candidate from the central zone who would perform commendably well when elected.
This statement was not merely political, but a product of a deep seated patriotic thought.
It is true that nobody was ever elected twice as rep member in PKK. It is also true that 3 different members from Kanam- Rev. Wuyep Labar, Pankshin- Leo Dilkon and recently Golu, from Kanke had vied for second terms, but were defeated.
That is to say, it is within their rights to vie for reelection, subject to the approval of the electorate of PKK.
So, what difference will it make if Gagdi seeks reelection to the House of Representatives and subject himself to the litmus test of the electorate? It is his inalienable right to seek reelection, as much as it is the electorate’s rights to either vote for him or reject him.
Politics is a game of choice, hence nobody must foist his choice and bias on others. Everybody must be allowed to exercise their rights to the extent permissible by extant laws.
If Gagdi decides to seek reelection to the House of Representatives in 2023, he would not have done anything wrong; either to the existing electoral laws or the unwritten zoning arrangement in PKK.
The exigencies of available contestable positions in the PKK in 2023 will determine which local government gets what, and the slot of Kanam local government, if any, or any other Local Government will be determined by the entire people of PKK not by one group, clan, Church or Mosque.
If the people of PKK decide that somebody else, not Gagdi, should gun for the contestable position available in the power equation of PKK in 2023, we know Gagdi as a loyal son of Kanam and PKK, will abide by that decision without ill feeling.
So, those who have busied themselves finding reasons why Gagdi should not contest PKK in 2023, should tell their preferred candidates to be ready to defeat Gagdi at the polls, should the 2023 permutations warrant him to seek reelection.
GAGDI MEDIA TEAM (GMT)
Freelance Reporters 