Former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and Adviser to Governor Caleb Mutfwang on National Assembly Matters, Rt. Hon. George Edward Daika, has blamed the controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primary election in Mikang State Constituency on what he describes as a breach of the area’s long-standing power-sharing arrangement among its four ethnic groups.
In an exclusive interview, Daika said Mikang’s political structure was founded on principles of unity, fairness, and mutual respect among the Kyen, Piapung, Tal, and Montol communities. According to him, the creation of Mikang Local Government was driven by a shared desire for inclusion and equitable representation.
“When we were part of Shendam Local Government, we felt marginalized, and that was the basis of our struggle for the creation of Mikang Local Government. Mikang, by interpretation, means people coming together in unity,” he said.
Daika explained that over the years, the various communities adopted an informal rotational system for political offices to ensure balanced representation and prevent any one group from dominating the others.
“We have four distinct tribes in Mikang. The purpose of creating this local government was to ensure that every group benefits from whatever opportunities or positions come our way. That understanding gave rise to the rotational arrangement we have today. It remains a gentleman’s agreement built on trust, mutual understanding, and respect,” he said.
He noted that opposition to the current Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Naanlong Daniel Gapyil, seeking another term stemmed largely from concerns about preserving that arrangement.
“We believe in zoning and in the spirit of unity that holds Mikang together. A fourth term would amount to 16 years in office. With four distinct tribes in the local government, allowing one person to occupy the seat for that long could mean some communities would have to wait nearly 48 years before the position returns to them,” he argued.
According to Daika, he advised the Speaker before the primary election to support a candidate from Garkawa in keeping with the rotational principle.
“I told him that if I believed he could not win, I would have advised him not to contest. Instead, I encouraged him to support the candidate from Garkawa and wait another four years, when the position would naturally rotate back. I also warned that if things did not go his way, he could lose the confidence and sympathy of the people,” he said.
Daika further alleged that both the primary election and the subsequent rerun were marred by irregularities, including disputes over procedures in some wards. He claimed these issues led to conflicting results and heightened tensions across the constituency.
He also alleged that proper accreditation and electoral procedures were not followed in certain locations, contributing to uncertainty over the outcome of the exercise.
“The valid results came from the wards where elections were successfully conducted. Based on those results, Timdi Nkat was leading with more than 2,600 votes,” he stated.
Daika also claimed he narrowly escaped an attack during the election period and confirmed that he reported the incident to the police in Shendam.
However, some APC stakeholders in Mikang have insisted that the rerun process was transparent and accurately reflected the wishes of party members. They expressed confidence that the party leadership would uphold the outcome of the exercise.
Despite the ongoing dispute, Daika appealed for calm and urged residents to maintain peace and avoid violence.
“My message has always been peace. We are one family. Mikang is like a man with four wives; despite our differences, we belong to the same household. There is no reason for us to fight among ourselves,” he said.
He also called on supporters of Timdi Nkat to remain peaceful while awaiting the final decision of the APC national leadership.
Daika expressed confidence that the party’s national leadership would thoroughly review the circumstances surrounding the primary election and reach a decision that reflects the true wishes of APC members in Mikang.
“What I know is that elections were conducted, results were recorded, and a winner should emerge based on those results. I have confidence in the process,” he said.
