Leveraging National Influence for Local Impact: Kevin Pankshin’s Vision for Kanke
Engr. Kevin Nedim Pankshin, the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer for Kanke State Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, says in an interview that his decision to return to the political arena is driven by a long-standing desire to serve and contribute meaningfully to governance. Pankshin, who previously contested the seat in the 2015 election cycle, said his absence from subsequent contests was largely due to the zoning arrangement in the constituency. “I contested the House of Assembly in 2015. The primaries were conducted in 2014, so I am not contesting an election for the first time,” he explained, adding that with the zoning arrangement now returning to his zone, he decided to seek the mandate once again.
For Pankshin, however, the ambition goes beyond winning an election; it is rooted in his belief that public office provides an avenue to make a lasting impact. “Right from my youth, I have been aspiring to serve in public office. My interest in public office is because I believe that it is one of the biggest platforms where you can make the biggest impact if you are given the space to serve,” he said. His previous experience as Personal Assistant to APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, including his time working with him when he served as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, has also shaped his understanding of governance and public administration.
He sees the legislature as particularly strategic because of its responsibility for lawmaking and oversight. According to him, effective representation requires more than speaking for constituents; it requires identifying weaknesses within government institutions and ensuring that the laws governing them remain relevant and effective. “As a legislator, your primary functions are lawmaking and oversight,” Pankshin said, explaining that where laws are weak, they should be strengthened, while unnecessary bureaucratic procedures should be reviewed. “If a law that establishes an institution is too strict or has so much bureaucratic process that makes it difficult for the institution to work properly, then you need to reduce those bottlenecks so that it can function effectively,” he added.
A major advantage he identifies for Kanke is the presence of the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who hails from the same local government. Asked whether this could become a political challenge, Pankshin dismissed the concern, describing it instead as an opportunity for greater access and engagement. “It can only be an advantage. There is no disadvantage,” he said. He explained that a legislator’s responsibilities include lobbying for developmental projects, adding that having the National Chairman within the constituency provides an additional channel for advancing issues affecting the people. “If there is a need that needs to be addressed in that local government and perhaps you cannot access the governor directly, you can run to him and he will help you talk to the governor,” he stated.
Pankshin also pointed to what he described as the National Chairman’s influence in attracting development to the area, citing a road project and the technical college in Kanke among the interventions he believes were influenced by his position. “You can see the road that was flagged off some months ago. These are some of the things. His presence influenced some of those things there,” he said. He similarly referenced the technical college, stressing that the benefits of having a prominent political figure from the area should not be measured only by physical projects. For him, the National Chairman’s access, experience and relationship with key political actors provide the constituency with an additional avenue for engaging the government.
Beyond infrastructure, Pankshin believes the less visible benefit of political exposure may be equally significant. He argued that the experience gained from operating at the national level can help shape the political understanding of people in Kanke and prepare them to navigate different levels of governance. “Sometimes we just base growth on physical things — roads, schools and all those things. But beyond that is the experience, what he has understood, being the National Chairman, the exposure and the way he has sat with these people and talked to them on how to play politics at the national level,” he said. In his view, such exposure amounts to a form of political education capable of influencing how the next generation of leaders understands public service and political engagement.
Ultimately, Pankshin says he is not relying solely on political structures or personalities to make his case to the electorate. He believes his record, identity and ability to connect with the people will determine how he is received. “I don’t see it as a challenge because whatever your antecedent will speak for you. What have you done will speak for you. Who you are will speak for you,” he said. For the APC flag bearer, the opportunity to represent Kanke is therefore about more than occupying a legislative seat; it is about using lawmaking, oversight and strategic engagement to strengthen institutions, attract development and contribute to the advancement of his constituency and Plateau State.
