PLATEAU: PLASIEC vs PDP: THE SURPRISES, SHOCKS AND FUN ON THE WAY TO LG POLLS

By: Valentine Adese (JP),

In the last Six (6) years, the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has continued to shy away from its legal authority and duty, to conduct elections in Plateau State and when it does, the election spots and Local Government Areas are selected.

Within this period under review, the Commission had accepted the level of alleged insecurity in Four (4) Local Governments, as a standing reason(s) for not conducting elections, especially within the strong hold of the main opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Barkin-ladi, Riyom, Jos South and Jos North Local Government Areas.

Just recently, it surprised the state, the electorates and politicians among others that, it was willing and ready to conduct Local Government polls across the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State. It also made its promises visible by issuing out timetable and guideline for the proposed election.

However, in its funny operations, PLASIEC has decided to become an interpreter of a Court Judgment and Orders, as in a matter to which it was not a party to nor was it directly served by the Court.

The shocker is that, the Commission was served by one of the plaintiffs in the said Judgment, who doubles as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

From the mouth of the Electoral Operation Officer of the Commission, Mr. Patrick, the Commission was served, via a petition written by, Hon. Bitrus Kaze, who is the lead plaintiff in the suit and to whom the judgment favoured.

Funnily also, PLASIEC did not want to know, if the Judgment contains any restrain or obligation directed to them, but simply imposed on themselves one.

They have demonstrated that, the Judgment gave the Commission powers and reason(s) to stop the PDP from participating in the forthcoming polls in the state. They have marked the list of candidates from the PDP, as rejected and have returned the party’s application with no Nomination Forms for its candidates in the 17 LGAs.

PLATEAU STATE HIGH COURT COMPLEX

The Commission has expressed the “NO” sign to the PDP documents, despite the variant approaches the party has used to represent the list.

REALITY just gathered that, not being satisfied with the development, the PDP seem to have approached the Plateau State High Court on Friday last week for the Court to interpret the action(s) of the Commission.

Secondly, the members of the party have taken to their Social Media (SM) platforms to continue to express their worries and disappointments, especially, on Hon. Kaze.

The Caretaker Committee Members of the party in the state, who had submitted the list, REALITY gathered, had at yesterday invited Hon. Kaze, to hear from him to enable them identify his role in the saga.

You would however recall that, Hon. Kaze had taken to his Social Media page to debunk the allegations that, it was his petition before PLASIEC that, gave grounds to the developments and the present attempt of the Commission to stop the PDP from participating in the forthcoming polls.

Hon. Kaze, in his response had stated that, he had only questioned the Chairmanship and representative capacity of Hon. Chris Hassan and that he never questioned the capacity of the CTC, nor did he petition against the list of candidates of the party. He disclosed that, his grievances and those of his fellow plaintiffs have been addressed by the National office of the party by dissolving the Chris Hassan’s leadership.

THE WAY FORWARD TO PLATEAU POLLS WILL BE CONTINUED…..