By Dater, Pekop Dawu

A former speaker of the Plateau state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. George Daika has been elected to hoist the flag of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the October 31, 2020 senatorial bye-election for Plateau Southern Senatorial Zone. Daika polled 434 votes, beating 3 other candidates to emerge as the winner of the PDP primaries held at Royal Comfort Hotel Shendam. Shendam local government, which happens to be the headquarters of the southern zone hosted candidates, delegates, supporters and party faithfuls to a serene, calm and peaceful environment where the election held under a very peaceful and transparent atmosphere. The runner up in the election who is also a former speaker of the Plateau state house of assembly Rt. Hon. Michael Dapianlong garnered 199 votes. Others are Barr. Philip Nyitni with 18 votes and Crysantus Dawam with 5 votes. Total number of invalid votes—4. A former 8-years member of the house of representatives who represented Shendam, Quan-Pan, Mikang federal constituency from 1999-2007, Rep. Ja’afaru Damulak in a gentleman arrangement meeting, had stepped down for Crysantus Dawam.

The primary election committee chairman, Sen. Mao Ohabunwan declared Daika the winner of the PDP primaries and accordingly returned him elected, having scored the highest number of votes and fulfilled all the requirements of the law.

Meanwhile, prior to the commencement of the election, the committee chairman assured candidates, delegates and supporters of a transparent, free and fair process noting that the PDP is one family. In his address to pressmen shortly after the election commenced, he had hoped that at the end of the day, the best candidate would emerge to face other candidates of other political parties in the secondary election.

Rt. Hon. George Daika, whose political credentials spans through his sojourn to the Plateau state house of assembly rising to the position of speaker, to member representing Shendam, Quan-Pan, Mikang federal constituency in the house of representatives, member ECOWAS parliament, a former governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP and presently the senior legislative aide to the minority leader of the house of representatives has the academic don turned politician Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the main rival to face in the secondary election.

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Rt. Hon. George Daika emerges PDP flagbearer for Plateau Southern Senatorial by-election