₦airaland Forum

John Tongshinen Gozhak, an APC governorship aspirant who contested the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency primaries against Honorable Yusuf Gagdi, has reacted to the recent reversal of the election results. Gozhak, who was initially declared the winner, took to Facebook to address the situation, sharing his perspective alongside a Martin Luther King quote.

The All Progressives Congress has reversed the outcome of its Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam House of Representatives primary election in Plateau State, declaring incumbent lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi the winner and disowning an earlier result naming John Tongshinen the victor.

The reversal was announced on Monday at the APC state Secretariat in Jos by the Chairman of the APC Plateau State Primaries Electoral Committee, Stella Okotete, who said the first declaration was unauthorised.

Okotete dismissed earlier results announced in the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam House of Representatives primary election, describing them as unauthorised.

The committee chairman also declared Yusuf Gagdi the winner of the primary election.

She clarified that only the officially appointed returning officer had the mandate to announce results.

Only the officially appointed returning officer, Nandom Kura, has the constitutional authority to declare the results of the primary election,” Okotete stated

She stressed, “That any prior announcements made outside this mandate were invalid and should be disregarded.”

Following that clarification, Kura “officially declared Yusuf Gagdi as the winner of the APC primary election for the PKK federal constituency, held on Saturday.”

Our Correspondent reports that the earlier result, announced on Sunday at the constituency headquarters in Pankshin by one Monday Daspan, had declared Tongshinen the winner with 29,968 votes to Gagdi’s 5,849 votes.

“Declaring the result at the constituency headquarters in Pankshin on Sunday, the party returning officer, Monday Daspan, said Dr John Tongshinen scored 29,968 votes, while polled 5,849 votes,” the initial announcement stated.


“By the powers conferred on me as the chairman of this committee, I hereby declare Dr John Tongshinen as the winner of the primaries for Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency based on the records available to me,” Daspan said. He added that “the primaries were observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alongside security personnel.”

Our Correspondent reports that Gagdi, who is currently the Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Navy, had rejected the earlier declaration.

He insisted the process was conducted across all 36 wards and backed it with evidence.

Addressing journalists at his residence in Jos on Monday after he was declared the authentic winner of the election, Gagdi insisted that the process was duly conducted across all 36 electoral wards, with evidence including accreditation records, videos, and photographs to support the credibility of the exercise.

He dismissed claims of multiple results, stating he was “only aware of two announcements, one of which has now been confirmed as illegitimate.”

Gagdi also alleged that the earlier declaration attributed to “Daspan Ishaya was fraudulent, noting that the individual was not appointed by the electoral committee and therefore lacked the authority to announce results.”

“The constitution and guidelines of the party clearly vest the power to appoint election officials in the electoral committee,” he said. “Any declaration outside that authority is null and void.”

He questioned the credibility of the unauthorised announcement, “alleging inconsistencies in the individual’s role during the election process.”

The new declaration sparked celebrations in parts of the constituency. “Our Correspondent reports that Jubilation broke out immediately in some parts of Kanam and Pankshin immediately after the recent results were announced.”

The PKK seat is one of the closely watched contests in Plateau ahead of the 2027 general elections.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaiaeoxP7j0

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The lawmaker representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi, has failed to secure the All Progressives Congress ticket to return to the National Assembly for a third term.

Gagdi lost to John Tongshinen, who polled a total of 29,968 votes in the direct primary election to defeat Gagdi, who scored 5,849 votes.

Declaring the result at the constituency headquarters in Pankshin on Sunday, the party returning officer, Monday Daspan, said Dr John Tongshinen scored 29,968 votes, while polled 5,849 votes.

“By the powers conferred on me as the chairman of this committee, I hereby declare Dr John Tongshinen as the winner of the primaries for Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency based on the records available to me,” he said.

Daspan explained that the primaries were observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alongside security personnel.

Gagdi is currently the Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Navy.

The lawmaker lost the primary election of his party conducted across the three local government areas (LGAs) that make up his constituency.

It will be recalled that the APC lawmaker was at loggerheads with various groups and political stakeholders who claim he has breached a previous commitment.

Opponents allege that Gagdi had initially agreed to serve only two terms to allow for a power-shift rotation within the constituency. Having already completed his second term, his decision to seek re-election for a third has triggered significant backlash.

Federal lawmaker, Right Honorable Yusuf Gagdi, representing the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, has once again sparked a conversation online after being spotted riding on a commercial motorcycle, popularly known as an Okada.

​The viral image, which surfaced recently, shows the legislator dressed in traditional white attire, navigating through his constituency.

The APC lawmaker is currently at loggerheads with various groups and political stakeholders who claim he has breached a previous commitment.

Opponents allege that Gagdi had initially agreed to serve only two terms to allow for a power-shift rotation within the constituency. Having already completed his second term, his decision to seek re-election for a third has triggered significant backlash.

Nigeria’s political parties are the biggest reason why the country cannot truly get better. They have turned democracy into a business investment instead of a system for public service. The outrageous cost of nomination forms has made it almost impossible for honest and competent Nigerians to participate in leadership unless they are backed by godfathers or massive wealth.

The reality is simple: there is no way a politician who spends ₦100 million on a presidential form will enter office without the intention of recovering that money.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) sold its presidential nomination form for about ₦100 million. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fixed its own at around ₦40 million, while the Action Democratic Party (ADP) reportedly charged ₦90 million for its presidential form. Governorship forms in many parties also cost tens of millions of naira.

Now let us do the maths.

If the Nigerian president officially earns around ₦1.7 million monthly, then over 48 months — which is four years in office — the total comes to:

1.7 million X 48 = 81.6 million naira

That means the president’s entire four-year official salary would be about ₦81.6 million.

So how does someone buy a presidential nomination form for ₦90 million or ₦100 million when the total official salary for four years in office does not even cover the cost of the form?

What exactly are Nigerians expected to believe?

No sensible businessman invests ₦100 million into a venture knowing fully well that the official return is less than the investment. It simply does not happen. Politics in Nigeria has become an investment scheme, and public office has become the return on investment.

This is why corruption remains deeply rooted in the system. Before elections even begin, politicians are already financially trapped. After winning office, the pressure to recover campaign expenses, settle sponsors, reward political allies, and prepare for the next election begins immediately. The result is inflated contracts, looting of public funds, abandoned projects, and endless suffering for ordinary Nigerians.

Political parties are directly responsible for creating this toxic system. They have commercialized leadership and turned elections into auctions for the highest bidder. Instead of encouraging competence, ideas, patriotism, and service, they reward wealth, political connections, and financial power.

An honest teacher, professor, doctor, activist, or young reformer cannot afford ₦40 million or ₦100 million forms. Even successful professionals would struggle to justify such reckless spending. So the system naturally filters out genuine people and favors those who already see politics as a money-making enterprise.

And then Nigerians act surprised when politicians steal.

The harsh truth is that political parties are one of the biggest obstacles to Nigeria’s progress. By making politics ridiculously expensive, they have built a system that practically encourages corruption before anyone even enters office. A country cannot improve when leadership positions are sold to the highest bidder.

Until political parties stop treating nomination forms like a business venture, Nigeria will continue producing leaders who see public office not as service to the people, but as an opportunity to recover investments and make profit.

edoncast:
I am about getting my first car too but this your write-up look like incantation to me

helinues:
Time never reach. We want the opposition to keep on saying this government hasn't done a thing

How many new army Depot donee now have in Nigeria? How many new army barracks? How about medical centre from scratch.

We go choke the opposition with projects

Who did we offend in this country?

Can you imagine this level of unseriousness from someone who is supposed to be representing her people, Haba!🤦🏽‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/6zZ8lnMnt1

— Plateau Asian girl🌟 (@CatiaKyen) April 10, 2026

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ikay00406:
I have the same question, someone should please answer.

Rielbusinesses:
What does this mean.

Are people supposed to stay indoors from 7am to 3pm and then come out from 3pm till next morning

Police threw their guns and ran away when the terrorists arrived at Angwan Rukuba in Jos.

😂😂 pic.twitter.com/AmWPqEwoaZ

— Martins Morris │$50k+ Upwork Freelance Editor (@martinsmorris) March 31, 2026

Apcshit:
Where is the video

BalogunIdowu:
This is sad to here, may all criminals face what they are are making other go through...

OP, there's an issue, you don't need the Christian-dominated area in this post except you want to push another narrative...

Mrexcell:
Middle belt people have very useless politicians and governors instead of them to rally around the opposition parties and remove this apc govt that has been shielding these bloodthirsty terrorists that enjoys killing them daily they rather preferred to joined their oppressors who else to blame but themselves?

Just in: Suspected bandits stormed Angwa Rukuba in Jos, shooting indiscriminately and leaving many feared dead.
Please keep Plateau State in your prayers. 💔
Pray for Jos pic.twitter.com/8Ac7IEz6oX

— Kingsman (@Kingsman1n) March 29, 2026

Plateau State 💔💔😭

Anguwan Rukuba, Jos, was under attacked this evening by suspected unknown gunmen, the situation is so horrific.

Many casualties where reported.

Stayed Safe.. pic.twitter.com/2dJO3m4EhY

— Sulaiman Uwaisu Idris (@KafinHausaa) March 29, 2026

“This is what’s happening right now in Angwa Rukuba, Jos, Plateau State. I can’t post the full video due to social media guidelines, many people are being k!ll£d as we speak now.”😢💔

— VeryDarkMan just revealed that Angwa Rukuba, Jos, Plateau State is currently under att@ck by… pic.twitter.com/NGjRDhl0hQ

— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) March 29, 2026

The Full video
Unknown arm men attack Angwan Rukuba - Jos

Pray for Jos Angwan Rukuba Nigeria pic.twitter.com/twhzjDEwTt

— Scoopiconic (@scoopicon1) March 29, 2026

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