The Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Dr. Danladi Jatau, has spent about N30 million on the distribution of food items and cash to his constituents in Kokona Local Government Area as part of activities to mark the 2025 Christmas celebration.
Dr. Jatau distributed over 1,000 bags of rice and cash gifts to more than 600 beneficiaries drawn from the 11 electoral wards of Kokona LGA. The distribution exercise took place at his residence in Garaku and cut across various groups, including religious bodies, women and widows.
The Speaker said the gesture was part of his annual commitment to putting smiles on the faces of the people of his constituency, stressing that the initiative had become a tradition he sustains every year.
According to him, each beneficiary received a bag of rice and N20,000 in cash, noting that the total cost of the exercise stood at about N30 million. He explained that the support was aimed at enabling the people to celebrate Christmas with joy and to improve their standard of living.
Dr. Jatau assured the people of his resolve to continue initiating policies and programmes that would positively impact their lives, while appreciating constituents for their prayers and support to him and Hon. Daniel Oga Ogazi, the member representing Kokona East Constituency.
He dismissed rumours of any rift between himself and Hon. Ogazi, describing their working relationship as cordial, and urged the public to shun gossip and instead promote peace and unity in the area.
The Speaker disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State would conduct its congresses by February 2026 through a consensus arrangement, adding that party offices would not be contested through elections. He explained that members who had spent eight years in a particular position would not be eligible for the same office again but could seek other positions.
Dr. Jatau noted that the rotation of political offices in Kokona LGA had enhanced unity, peace and development, attributing his political success to God and the support of the people. He also acknowledged calls urging him to contest for the Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency seat in 2027, stating that he would make his position known in 2026.
He used the occasion to drum support for Governor Abdullahi Sule, commending his developmental strides and calling on residents to continue praying for and supporting his administration. According to him, the APC would record a landslide victory in the 2027 elections and Governor Sule would hand over to another APC governor.
The Speaker further encouraged residents to join the APC through the party’s e-registration platform to enable them participate fully in future elections.
In a related development, Dr. Jatau formally received 106 defectors from the SDP, PDP and other political parties into the APC in Kokona LGA, assuring them of equal rights and privileges within the party.
Speaking at the event, the APC Chairman in Kokona LGA, Mr. Terry Bados, commended the Speaker for the Christmas gesture and prayed for God’s blessings upon him. He urged party members and residents to await Governor Sule’s directive on political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections and advised intending members to register through the APC e-registration system.
