Plateau Assembly Elects Nanloong Daniel As New Speaker Amid Political Tensions

The Plateau State House of Assembly has elected Nanloong Daniel, the lawmaker representing Mikang Constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC), as its new Speaker.

Naija News reports that Daniel, a former Majority Leader in the 9th Assembly, was unanimously chosen by fellow lawmakers during an emergency sitting at the temporary Assembly Complex situated in the Old Government House, Jos.

His emergence follows the resignation of the former Speaker, Gabriel Dewan, the sole Young Progressives Party (YPP) member in the Assembly.

According to sources, Dewan’s resignation came after a closed-door meeting involving Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Dewan, and other legislators. The meeting was convened as part of broader efforts to address mounting political tensions in the state.

The emergency session, presided over by Deputy Speaker Gwotta Ajang, saw lawmakers formalize the leadership change, which insiders say is aimed at stabilising the state’s volatile political climate.

This development comes on the heels of a recent Abuja Appeal Court judgement that sacked 16 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers from the Assembly, ruling that the PDP had no valid structure ahead of the 2023 elections.