Senator Jonah Jang has opted out of a second term and has declared his Plateau North Senatorial Seat open for a successor.

The immediate political future of the one term senator remains, however, unclear. Senator Jang had lately mooted the idea of running for the 2019 presidential contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP but that aspiration has yet to get traction and it remains uncertain if he would pursue the ambition.

At a meeting with PDP stakeholders from the Plateau North Senatorial zone held at WAYE Foundation, Doi, Jos South local government area, Jang disclosed that the Senate seat would be vacant in 2019 and left for people of Plateau North to decide who should represent them in the Red chamber.
Though nocturnal meetings are being held by aspirants for the seat but only the member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Istifanus Gyang has officially made his intention known to the PDP and his supporters.

Vanguard gathered that others nursing ambition for the seat from the All Progressives Congress, APC include the member representing Jos South/Jos East federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Edward Pwajok, the current Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Rufus Bature, former Chief of Staff during Jang’s administration, Francis Bot and former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Hon. Isa Song.

The PDP, Northern Zone Leader, Mr. Chris Hassan, said: “The Senator called the meeting to meet with all of us from the zone. He made known his intention not to re-contest the Senatorial seat and asked us as a Party to work together and ensure unity.

“We are giving a level playing ground to all the aspirants; there will be nothing like the issue of zoning. Zoning is not going to be discussed; we are leaving everything open for all interested people to contest.

What the Senator asked was that we should quickly convene a meeting of all PDP stakeholders in the northern zone and deliberate on the seat but as a Party, we are leaving the seat open to whosoever is qualified to go and contest.

“He did not categorically declare his intention to contest the presidential seat but in a fortnight from now, he will do the formal declaration for the Presidential seat.”