PLATEAU RE-RUN: WASTING VOTES, VOTERS’ APATHY, EXISTING PDP INTERNAL CRISIS ALL GOOD FOR APC, AMB. GIWA, AND RT. HON. BABA HASSAN’S VICTORIES--PUNDITS

By: Valentine Adese (JP),

The major contending parties in Plateau State since the commencement of the 2023 general elections in Plateau State, have been the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress.

You would recall that, during the era of the former administration in the state led by Sen. Jonah David Jang, the APC was the strong opposition Party, but with the change of baton, the APC led Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, saw the PDP becoming the major opposition in the state.

However, in the 2023 general election conducted in the state by INEC, the ruling APC was further displaced by the PDP and hence their candidate, Caleb Mutfwang (Esq) emerged as Governor. The PDP also went a distance also to occupy 15 seats in the State House of Assembly and also won two of the Senatorial seats.

This also does not include its dominance of the victories of the seats of Plateau State in the House of Representatives.

Although legally speaking this stride is beginning to dwindle owing to the Judgments coming out of the Judiciary owing to Petitions filed by the APC and its candidates who challenged the victories of the PDP and its candidates.

The latest is the Rerun election ordered for Jos-North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State and that of the Plateau North Senatorial District seat by the Court of Appeal in the petitions filed by APC, Rt. Hon. Baba Hassan and Amb. Chris Giwa.

These Rerun elections ordered by the Court of Appeal Abuja Division, involve the APC and its candidates, Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Baba Hassan for the House of Representatives seat, PRP and its candidate Hon. Mohammed Adamu Alkali and other political parties, while for the Senatorial District seat, it involves Amb. Chris Giwa and his party the APC, and Gyang Zi (Esq) and his party the Labour Party (LP) among other political parties.

The Court had directed INEC to conduct these elections within the next 90 days, but matters have already started taking center stage as pundits continue to consider the effect(s) of the Judgments so delivered visa-vies the political situation in the state.

Pundits, who spoke to REALITY are strongly of the firm believe that the political situation in relation to the planned rerun would generate voters’ apathy and it would generate huge protest votes in the state. But however submitted that “whichever way the political situation goes, it would be favorable to the APC, as its members, elected political officers, and supporters would simply focus on winning. An apathy to the process would only reduce the votes of other participating parties”.

They further submitted that the internal conflict and crisis rocking the Plateau State chapter of the PDP would also be a blessing to APC and its candidates since those who have pledged to assist the APC from day one of the elections would continue to do so.

Adding that, “those who would want to waste their votes can simply do so by casting their votes for the PDP the second time”.

MORE ON THIS AND LEGAL ANALYSIS COMING…