As Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), gets set for the local government polls, Governor Simon Lalong boasts that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would sweep all the seats being contested for, just as PDP cries out of exclusion. MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU, writes
Recently, the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), expressed its readiness to conduct election into the 17 Local Government Councils of the state, tomorrow, October 9.
PLASIEC also supervises the conduct of primaries or affirmation of candidates by political parties. However, it did not observe the primaries of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP.) and hence did not accept their candidates on the ground of non-existence of party executives to nominate its candidates.
Lalong boast as APC flag-off campaigns
But the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state last Saturday, flagged off its campaigns, commencing from Shendam, the Local Government Area of the governor during which he boasted that his party will, “sweep Plateau LG Elections.”Governor has reiterated his firm resolve in ensuring that the PLASIEC conducts elections in all the 17 LGCs, of the state.
At the campaign, he said APC has done a lot for the development of the state and that the party has attained greater acceptance which will guarantee its total victory during the elections.
“The APC has been attractive to the citizens of the state because of equity, fairness and inclusivity which has enhanced the peace and tranquility prevailing in the state, until the recent attacks which were clearly orchestrated by enemies of the people.
“APC is the party of choice in Plateau state just as it is being embraced by people from other parties at the national level.
“I am very optimistic that we will sweep the elections because we don’t have opposition in Plateau state, thanks to our performance.
“We have shown leadership that is centred on the peace and progress of the Plateau. We have completed projects that we inherited even from the other party because of their impact on the lives of the people.
“We also initiated and executed many of our own projects without concentrating on one section alone or showing preference for a particular group.
“That is the secret of our success and acceptability in Plateau state. The results will definitely manifest on 9th October when we sweep the polls,” he said.
Governor Lalong urged members of the party and the entire people of the state to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the elections and not allow politicians cause a breach of the peace, while charging the APC candidates to carry along women and people living with disabilities in governance.
Deputy Speaker attributes party growth to Lalong style
The Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives Idris Wase, who was also at the flagging off, said the party has grown in the state because of the leadership style of governor Lalong which is based on fairness, rule of law and the pursuance of peace.
He maintained that the state has derived a lot of dividends of democracy through the administration of Governor Lalong who has effectively collaborated with President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government.
The PLASIEC’s readinessThe State Electoral Commission has, through its chairman Fabian Ntung, announcing in its readiness to conduct the local elections tomorrow (Saturday), during a press briefing with political stakeholders and journalists in Jos, said: “We wish to inform political stakeholders and indeed the public that timetable and guidelines for the conduct of local government elections would be released on Tuesday.
“The elections are expected to be conducted in October 2021 in all the local government areas. We couldn’t hold elections in four local government areas the last time because we were constrained by the security advice. Now we have been properly advised that we can go ahead and hold the election in the 17 local government areas,” he said.
For the records, the last local government election was held on the 10th of October, 2018, while the elected council chairmen were sworn in on the 11th of October for a three-year tenure, with the exception of Barkin Ladi, Jos North, Jos South, and Riyom LGCs respectively.
However, unlike in 2018 where the PDP held primaries, feilded candidates and even won some chairman and councilorship seats, it alleged that this time around the electoral umpire has refused to observe its primary duties and had also excluded it from participating in the forthcoming general elections.
PDP complains of exclusion
In disagreement with the umpire’s, decisions disqualifying its candidates, the PDP via its secretary, Plateau State Caretaker Committee, Patrick Ogbu, said: “We wish to put on record that as a party, we will resist any attempt to subvert justice and deny our people the opportunity to participate in electing their leaders at the local council level through legitimate and legal means.”
“Our primaries were peacefully and promptly organised within the timetable and guidelines released by PLASIEC.
“Curiously, PLASIEC refused to issue nomination forms to our legitimate and duly elected candidates. PLASIEC is relying on a purported court order, which has no bearing whatsoever with the local council elections or PLASIEC activities.”
However, the PLASIEC, commissioner in charge of operation, Patrick Mangin, said all the allegations leveled against the electoral body by PDP were false.
“PDP is in court over internal wrangling and the court had given an injunction that the party be excluded from the exercise at the time pending the final resolution of the court,” he said.
Blueprint gathered that a faction of the PDP in the state had presented a copy of the court order that have rejected then Chris Hassan led PDP faction, which had conducted the primaries wanting to nominate same as candidates, which order the PLASIEC acted upon.
The legal battle
Not satisfied with PLASEIC’s exclusion of its candidates, the PDP dragged the electoral body to the State High Court, seeking to halt the election process until its candidates are included on the ballot paper.
The PDP also challenged the state electoral umpire over the outrageous amount it charges for the purchase of nomination forms for the councillorship and chairmanship positions respectively.
PDP’s counsel Edward Pwajok SAN, in an originating summon said his client is in court to challenge PLASIEC for excluding PDP from participating in the election and that the electoral umpire in the state was grossly wrong, undemocratic and a ploy to deny the people of Plateau state their fundamental human rights to choose who their leader would be, in the third tier of government.
He argued that it is unconstitutional, illegal and violates all the international norms that encourage voters to participate freely on the person to represent them either as chairman or counsellor, while also seeking redress that PLASIEC does not have such power to deny the voters their right to choose which person they want.
Barr. Pwajok allged that the PLASIEC’s action was barely conceived attempt to endorse a candidate from the ruling APC which he said should not be allowed to prevail in a democracy.
The PDP further raised a prileminary objection urging the court to restrain PLASIEC, from conducting the state chairmanship and councillorship elections in the state pending the determination of the substantive suit.
PDP suffers another setback
The Plateau State High Court has, Wednesday dismissed the suit of the People Democratic Party (PDP), aganist the State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEIC), over an alleged exclusion of the party from participating in the forthcoming October, Local Government Council elections.The court presided over by Justice Yakubu Kunda of High Court 5, in his judgement said the PDP cannot participate in the election for it’s failure to held Congresses and constitute executives as ordered by an earlier judgement of the State high court delivered by Justice SP Gang in November 20, 2020.
A faction of the PDP has in November, 2020 secured a judgement of the High Court, that ordered for the proper conduct of congresses to elect state executives, but rather the party failed to do that, and went to put in place caretaker committee, which conducted primaries for the local elections, which PLASEC discarded.
In his judgement Justice Kunda, held that PLASIEC was legally right to have refused PDP nomination and expression of interest forms for the said election.
He further held that all the steps and actions taken by the caretaker committee including the conduct of the said primary elections was null and void.
He said the suit is lacking in merit and that the PLASEIC was write to have removed the PDP from the election.
“The entire claims in the submission of the claimant is hereby, dismissed,” he judged.
Justice Kunda slammed the sum N2.5million as damages against the PDP.
However, the PDP State chairman,Hon. Chris Hassan has insisted that dispite the court Judgement the party will participate, “or no election.”
Hon. Hassan made the statement last Saturday, at an event in Langtang North, alleging that PLASIEC connived with the State Government to give APC undue advantage to subdue the opposition party.
He said: “The era of Political victimization of opposition is over as the party will use all it’s might to fight injustice”IPAC blame House of Assembly
The state chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC), shifted its blame on participation in the forthcoming general, to the State House of Assembly for formulating unfriendly laws that deprived its members from feilding candidates in the election.
The IPAC chairman, Hon. Abubakar Dogara Ishaq, said opposition parties were unable to feild candidates because of the high cost of nomination form for a candidate.
“Unfortunately, no other political party has been able to field a chairmanship candidate, because of the huge amount that PLASIEC has charged that any candidate should pay.
“The sum of N2.2m for chairman and his deputy, is on the high cost,” he cried.
According him the PLASIEC is not to blame for the fees, rather the lawmakers who have made the law are.”I cannot really say depriving other political party to participate in the election, I think all the blame should go to the State house of assembly for making the law allowing PLASIEC to charge whatever fee they feel like charging.
“Although the PLASEIC should have gave lower cahrges like it was done in Nasarawa state,” he said.
The IPAC chairman said should free, fair and credible polls be allowed, it is possible for some other parties to win some Councilourship seats.
“Few other political parties have fielded councillorship candidates in some of the wards, which we believe they have cridible candidates that can also win election,” he said.
He stressed that IPAC is so far satisfied with PLASIEC arrangements for the election.
