Opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau has vehemently rejected the results of last Wednesday’s local government election, saying that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party compromised the process to the benefit of its candidates.
Speaking at a news briefing in Jos on Saturday, State’s APC Chairman, Hon. Rufus Bature, said that despite the assurances of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) that it will conduct a free and fair election, the actions of the electoral body fell far below expectations.
Bature, who was flanked by some APC Chairmanship candidates during the press conference, described the October 9 local government election as the worst in the history of Plateau state.
Expressing grave concerns over the conduct of the just concluded local government elections, conducted in all the seventeen local areas of the State, APC described the 9th of October 2024 as “ill- fated”, because it was the day the people of Plateau State were denied opportunities to select through the ballot boxes, their own leaders and representatives in the administration of their respective local government Councils by the PLASIEC in concert with the PDP led government and other anti democratic forces.
In the text of the briefing, Bature said, “Right from the onslaught, when the Plateau State government decided to send an executive bill on the amendment of the PLASIEC law, the APC and other discerning minds, sensed some sinister motives by the PDP led government in trying to compromise the electoral process, when it inserted an omnibus provision which allowed elections results to be announced in the Jos, PLasiec headquarters, as against the Polling Units, Wards and the local government Council headquarters as the case may be.
“The Plateau State House of Assembly as a result of due diligence and patriotic drive, decided to expunge the malicious provision and replaced it with the former one as contained in the 2017 PLasiec Law.
“Since then, apprehension and suspicion reigned the air as to the sincerity of the electoral body, and of course the the PDP led government’s sincerity to conduct a transparent, free and fair local government elections in the State.
“This state of affairs and fears about the insincerity of the the Mutfwang government to conduct a credible and transparent elections were re-enforced and justified,when juxtaposed with the PDP conduct of it’s primary elections which were marred by bloodbath, maiming and kidnap to the extend that as I am talking to you,cases of imposition of the candidates by the top echelon of the PDP are still pending in law Courts. From that point, people began to express concerns about the the sincerity of the PDP led government to conduct a credible elections, when it could not organize an internal primary election.
“As if that was enough, in the heat of the campaigns a top government functionary including the Speaker of the State of Assembly Gabriel Dewan, arrogantly and openly boosted that the elections are just formalities and that no matter the situations, all PDP candidates would be returned.
“This we protested and raised the red flag on the sincerity of PLasiec to conduct credible elections.
“To buttress our position we went as far as mentioning the name of Solomon Marren Yobo,the Governor’s liaison officer in Bokkos who said no matter the votes garnered specifically by APC, PDP’s candidates will be declared winners of the elections.We still have the video clip.
“Unfortunately at all point in time when we raised those concerns with credible facts, PLASIEC Chairman Plangji Cishak and Governor Mutfwang always dismissed our submissions with sugar coated assurances, coloured with sentences punctuated with hypothetical mention of the name of GOD that the elections would be transparent, free and fair.
“What did we get at end of the day? Last Saturday’s elections were the worst ever conducted in political trajectory of Plateau State based on some obvious reasons.
“Fast forward to the distribution of sensitive materials to local government areas and subsequently to various electoral Wards and Polling Units.
“It is a fact that election materials particularly ballot papers were grossly inadequate, as polling Units, mostly those perceived as APC strongholds were deliberately given 10% to 20% of what were required. Furthermore in those earmarked areas, results sheets were not provided at all, for reasons best known to PLasiec.
“Despite all complaints and representations made to the electoral officers, nothing changed.
“Added this unfortunate scenario, was the supply of malfunctioned voting machines which never worked, and in most Polling Units, the machines hardly lasted for more than two hours.
“This we know is a clever way of rigging and also disenfranchising the people.
“Worst of all were the fact that elections never took place in some areas as well as the fact there were reported stuffing of ballot papers in PDP strongholds.
“Inspite of these manipulations and sophistry, by Plasiec and the PDP led government,the people never weaver but instead voted the candidates of their choices. Probably disturbed by the People’s resilience and determination, PLasiec officials particularly Returning Officers absconded across the entire states without waiting to collate the results as stipulated by law.
After about twenty four hours, news started filtering in that PLASIEC and Governor Mutfwang had sworn in some imposters as the “elected Chairmen” of the local government areas of Plateau State.
The party said it’s pursuing all legal means to reclaim its mandate as it is collating data to pursue its case at the tribunal. The party advised supporters to remain calm and not take the laws into their hands.
