Professor Nora Dadu’ut
By M. Peter, Jos
A lone female aspirant for the forthcoming Plateau South Senatorial bye-election, Professor Nora Dadu’ut has promised that if elected, she will only serve out the remaining period in the tenure, make impact and leave the scene in 2023.
Plateau South Senatorial zone had lost its Senator, Ignatius Longjang sometime in March this year and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is making preparation to hold a bye-election in the zone to fill the seat.
Members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC believe Qua’an Pan local government area where Longjan hailed from should serve out his tenure while others in the zone say any credible person from any of the six local government areas of Qua’an Pan, Mikang, Shendam, Wase, Langtang North, Langtang South which make the zone is qualified for the seat.
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In the APC, more than six aspirants from Qua’an Pan local government area including a former Chief of Staff to Governor Simon Lalong, Chief John Dafa’an, a former Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Lalong, Mark Longyen, the current Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Victor Lapang, current Chairman of the local government area, Isaac Kwallu, the current Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service, Dashe Arlat and Professor Nora Dadu’ut have indicated interest in the seat.
In the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the aspirants seem to be cautious with their ambitions, coming from different local government areas within the zone.
However, the PDP says it is optimistic that it will win the bye-election.
So far, only few of them including the Party’s North Central Vice-Chairman, Theophilus Dakas Shan (Qua’an Pan LGA), a former Vice Chancellor of the State University, Professor Doknan Sheni (Langtang North LGA), a former Speaker of the State Assembly, George Daika (Mikang LGA) and the candidate for the same seat in the 2019 election, Kefas Peter (Langtang North LGA) have shown interest.
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From the APC, rumors are rife that the State Governor, Simon Lalong from Shendam local government area of the Zone has a preferred candidate he wants to emerge winner and hold the seat for him till 2023 when he may contest for the seat.
Governor Lalong had debunked the rumor as the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dan Manjang speaking for the Governor said Lalong is a “democrat, a father to all” who has no preferred candidate.
Manjang noted, “Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong and Chairman, 19 Northern Governors’ Forum, is a democrat and father to all. As such, he does not interfere or peddle influence in the democratic choice of citizens to favour a particular person or group of persons.”
“As a product and pillar of democracy, Lalong is conscious of the right of citizens in making free choices at all times. All aspirants for the bye election are free to woo APC delegates and members for the primary election, anyone who emerges winner becomes the candidate of the Party and that of the Governor.”
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Dadu’ut, a Professor of French Language, lecturing at the University of Jos has denied fronting for anyone saying, she is only going to the Senate to get a higher platform to continue to impact lives positively, giving society hope that women have a future in the nation’s politics.
She maintained women should look inward, prepare to fight the challenges in politics, and bring themselves together, and go into politics not as rivals but partners with men in promoting positive societal values.
Her words, “Each mandate has a limit, I don’t intend to continue in 2023 and when the mandate ends, another person takes over. Whoever will take over then will be known but I know that I only want to serve out the tenure. We are working together with the leadership of my Party just like other aspirants, we will all work hard to get to the end of the journey.
“I don’t think I would be scared in the Senate when elected, I know there are about 109 in the Senate and how many women, just about seven are women, it looks a little bit scary, but in the Senate I don’t think is going to be larger then the circle I came from. It is just that the approach is different, like in the classroom, I will say I am just graduating from one classroom to a new classroom, which I must have learned certain things.
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“I feel a woman has future in politics because she is more sympathetic and can understand the community better, the woman is active and bringing her out will project the picture better, women carry burden much longer than men, women have many roles to play that will impact cultural values in men and our children, we safeguard values of our children.”
When asked what set her apart from other aspirants, she added, “Women are my constituency, the support and inspiration of my folks sustain me in this journey. This is the Women Project designed by God, a woman has many roles to play in the society apart from procreating, we impact values. I teach African culture and civilization in French. I believe the mother is the first teacher a child knows, women have a future in politics, men and women should go together in partnership for the good of the society.”
As political tempo rises in the zone, it was gathered that meetings are being held at the different participating political parties to convince some aspirants to step down for credible candidates who would give the zone quality representation but the hope of every constituent is that whoever emerges would work hard to better the lot of the zone whose economic, infrastructural and academic fortunes are the worst in the State.
