Plateau constituents protest lawmaker’s return bid

Constituents of Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State have called for a shift toward equitable political inclusion, insisting that 20 years of representation by Hon. Idris Ahmad Wase is “enough.”

Wase, who  is currently serving a four-year tenure on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, is a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives

The constituents, under the aegis of Wase Progressives For Equity, Unity and Inclusive Governance, on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest in Wase town, attracted participants from the four districts of Wase, Lamba, Bashar and Kadarko.

The group, described as a coalition of committed stakeholders, community leaders, and youth voices, carried placards and wore T-shirts with inscriptions such as “20 Years is Enough,” “Let Leadership Rotate,” “Create Equality for a Better Tomorrow,” among others.

In a communiqué issued in Jos on  Thursday  after the  Secretary of the Concerned Forum, Comrade Gunshin Yarlings, presented the matter  to the Chairman of the APC in  Wase LGA, the group demanded rotational representation through zoning.

“For over two decades, the House of Representatives position for Wase Federal Constituency has remained continuously occupied by one individual, Ahmed Idris Maje, from Bashar District,” the constituents noted.

They added that while acknowledging and appreciating the contributions and years of service of Rt. Idris Wase, “the prolonged monopolisation of this critical office by a single district is a sharp contradiction to the principles of fairness, inclusion, and balanced representation that underpin democratic governance,”

The constituents observed that “democracy thrives not merely on elections but on equity” while demanding for zoning of the seat to either of the three districts away from Bashar.

“The concentration of political power within a single district over an extended period breeds discontent, weakens collective ownership of governance and marginalises equally deserving districts,” they said.

“Within Wase LGA, adopting a rotational framework would strengthen unity by giving every district a sense of belonging; encourage broader participation in governance; unlock diverse leadership potential across districts, and reduce political friction and enhance grassroots development, among other benefits,” they canvassed.

Receiving their communiqué, the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Wase LGA chapter, Alhaji Yusuf Shagari, told the agitators that their demands will be presented to APC stakeholders.

“As leaders, I believe that It is our responsibility to listen to complaints and find out solutions. We have received your demands, and we will forward them to the appropriate place,” he assured the agitators.

Idris Wase, who has been in the National Assembly for the past 20 years, is currently serving a four-year term following his re-election during the 2023 general election.

He is said to have declared interest in the 2027 ticket, prompting the pushback from members of his constituency.

Efforts to get reactions from the lawmaker on the matter were not successful as several calls put across to his mobile phone went unanswered.