PLATEAU STATE LG ELECTIONS: WE ARE READY—PLASIEC CHAIRMAN, HON. PLANGJI CISHAK, OTHERS

By: Amb. Valentine Adese (JP),

The Chairman of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLSIEC), Hon. Plangji Daniel Cishak has informed stakeholders in the state that the Commission is ready to conduct the State’s Local Government Council Elections in the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, as slated for 9^th October 2024.

The Chairman in his welcoming remarks during the Stakeholders Engagement Meeting held today, the 26^th of September 2024, at Tamarald Event Center, Jos, reminded the gathering that the interest of Plateau state is greater than that of a Political Party.

He said, “We have to get it right at the grass-root because those to be elected are closer to the people at the grass-root”.

Hon. Cishak told the gathering that the Commission is already recruiting Adhoc staff for the exercise and that the Commission has already created a Website for online registration and has been having a constant deliberation and positive relationship with the members of IPAC in the state.

He said within the period of three (3) months of their appointment, they have also established a good relationship with Election Observers.

According to the Chairman, “No ambition of any person is worth the blood of any other Plateau person. Hence, we must have a peaceful and credible election in the state, which hopefully would be emulated by other states and the world at large”.

He used the occasion to call on all, to join hands in ensuring that the goals for the Local Government Council elections are met.

Secretary of the Commission, Hon. Barr. Pam Davou, on his part, told the gathering that the old Local Government Law has been repealed and a new one is in place in line with the Electoral Act, courtesy of the Plateau State House of Assembly, an NGO, and the Commission’s Legal Team, which he also chairs. He said the road is now paved for the slated elections with the new Law.

According to him, 45 candidates are contesting for the seats of Chairmen, while 788 are contesting for Councilorship seats in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.

Davou said, “Our hope is that the election processes must work and correctly too, since, we now have a sound Law”.

The Chairman of the Committee on Transport of the Commission, Hon. Audu Ado Adere said the Commission has already engaged stakeholders in the transport industry for the exercise while adding that, the Commission has also engaged the VIO and Road Safety Commission to check the roadworthiness of the Commission’s vehicles and those engaged.

TO BE CONTINUED…