PLATEAU LG ELECTIONS: VOTERS CONCERNED OVER APC, OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES, AND PLASIEC’S SILENCE ON PDP’S PARTICIPATION

By: Amb. Valentine Adese (JP),

The concerns of most voters in Plateau State have continued to be shaky, owing to the silence of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission’s inability to declare emphatically, whether the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) would participate in the planned and forthcoming Local Government Council elections, slated for 9^th October 2024, across the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau State.

You would recall that during PLASIEC’s recent press briefing at its State Headquarters, PLASIEC’s Chairman, Hon. Plangji Cishak, flanked by other Executives of the Commission had distanced the Commission from commenting on legal issues.

The voters are of the view and perception that the silence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other political parties, and their non-action on the issue of PDP’s participation may be a demonstration that something untold is on-going and may become consequential and far-reaching before, during or after the LG elections.

You would recall that the Judgment of the Court of Appeal that sacked all PDP Lawmakers in the State House of Assembly, and at the National level, have not been set aside by any Court in Nigeria, and this has consequentially led to the swearing in of APC Lawmakers to replace them at both levels.

You would also recall that, REALITY had reported that, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Plateau State chapter has dragged the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang (Esq), the Attorney-General of the State, and the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) to Court, challenging the 2021 Local Government elections held on 9^th October 202, owing to the exclusion and non-participation of the PDP in the said election.

Other Defendants on the face of the filed processes are the Attorney-General of the State and the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC).

REALITY gathered that the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the major beneficiary of the 9^th October Local Government elections was not joined as a Defendant in the suit hence, it has remained silent on the recent moves of the PDP to annul the outcome of the elections.

The suit filed by way of Originating Summons by the PDP chapter in Plateau State, is brought pursuant to Order 5 Rule 4 of the Plateau State High Court (Civil Procedure Rules 2020 and Section 6(6), 1, 17 (2,a), 40 and 42 (1, a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

The chapter wants the Court, if the questions for determination in the suit are in its favour, to:

1.      Declare that the disqualification and or rejection of the names of Candidates of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), submitted to the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), for the 9^th October 2021 Local Government elections in Plateau State is unlawful, unconstitutional, discriminatory, null and void, and,

2.   An Order annulling the entire Local Government election conducted by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) across the Local Government Areas in Plateau State on 9^th October 2021.

3.      TO BE CONTINUED…