The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Kudengbena Dewan, has sworn in five additional lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) following their reinstatement by a Court of Appeal ruling in November 2023. The swearing-in ceremony took place on Wednesday during a special session, despite the Assembly being on recess. This session was convened under order 5 of the House rules to allow for the inauguration of the new members.
The new members include former Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda (Pengana, Bassa LGA), Engr. Owen Dagogot (Quaan’pan North), Prof. Theodore Maiyaki (Quaan’pan South), Hon. Dalyop Gyang (Jos South), and Hon. Dachung Dadong (Riyom LGA).
Speaker Dewan expressed his satisfaction with the Assembly now being fully constituted, with all 24 seats occupied. He emphasized the importance of unity within the House to address critical issues, including advocating for Plateau State’s ministerial representation at the federal level. “I’m pleased that we now have a complete Assembly, with no vacancies. It is time to focus on governance, and each representative must ensure their constituency is effectively represented,” Dewan stated.
Prof. Theodore Maiyaki, one of the newly inaugurated members, pledged his dedication to strengthening the legislative process and ensuring that the needs of their constituencies are addressed in coordination with the executive arm of government.
This development follows the Court of Appeal’s decision to nullify the election of 16 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members due to non-compliance with the legal requirements for nominating candidates. The Assembly now comprises 22 APC members, with one representative each from the Labour Party (LP) and the Young People’s Party (YPP).
