In a surprising turn of events, Rt Hon Moses Sule, the member representing Mikang state constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has officially resigned from his position as the Speaker of the House. The announcement comes amidst a wave of political challenges faced by the PDP in Plateau state, including recent appellate court decisions leading to the removal of two Senators and five House of Representatives members at the federal level.
Following Sule’s resignation, Hon Dewan K. Gabriel, a member representing Pankshin North state constituency in the assembly and a member of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), has swiftly emerged as the new Speaker of the 10th Assembly. This transition has fueled speculations that the resignation may be linked to the broader issues confronting the PDP in the state.
The prevailing belief is that more members of the PDP within the state house of assembly may soon be subject to appeal court proceedings, potentially resulting in a pattern similar to the removal of other PDP legislators at the federal level. Notably, the National and State Houses of Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Jos had earlier nullified the election of Moses Sule as the representative for the Mikang State constituency. The court’s decision mandated the withdrawal of the certificate of return previously issued to him and its subsequent issuance to the All Progressives Congress candidate, Daniel Nanlong, who secured the second-highest number of votes during the election.
While Sule was elected under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party, he has maintained his position as Speaker pending an appeal court hearing. The recent developments signal a complex political landscape in Plateau state, with potential ramifications for the state’s political dynamics.