Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) held the long-awaited local government election in the state’s 17 LGAs on Saturday.
The election saw the participation of several political parties, with the exception of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, which was barred from participating by PLASIEC.
Our reporter, who visited some wards on Saturday, learned that the elections began on time at 8 a.m., with large turnout in rural communities and then a partial low turnout in some areas of the Northern Senatorial zone.
The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who spoke to journalists in Ajikamai Polling Unit in Shendam Local Government of the state, praised the electorate for their peaceful conduct and large turnout in the ongoing Local Government elections, which are taking place across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas on October 9, 2021.
The Governor, who voted around 10:30 a.m. with his wife, First Lady Regina Lalong, and other close family members, said he was impressed with the turnout and enthusiasm in his ward, as well as the encouraging reports from various parts of the State, all of which indicated a peaceful election and voters’ readiness to choose their leaders.
There is no cause for alarm, he said, because PLASIEC had assured all political parties, candidates, and the entire electorate of their readiness for the exercise, which they had planned over a long period of time and engaged all stakeholders.
When asked if he was concerned that the elections would not take place because of the PDP’s court case in the Court of Appeal in Jos seeking an injunction to stop the elections, which lasted well into the night before the scheduled date, the Governor replied:
“We had no fear because we know the courts will do justice according to our laws. Even if they had ruled that the elections will not hold, we would have had nothing to do but obey the ruling. The APC as a party has high regard for the courts and believes that it is a very important part of the democratic culture which we must build.
You remember the Zamfara case where we even won the elections but the courts voided it and in Rivers where we were stopped from participating. Now that in this case, the court ruled in our favour, we are going ahead with the elections peacefully”.
The Governor, speaking about the importance of the elections and the security arrangements in place, said that the transition from one Local Government Administration to another is something that many people in Plateau have yearned for, and that it is taking place without any challenges by the grace of God.
Despite security concerns, he said, the government has taken all necessary steps to ensure that the election goes off without a hitch, and has directed security agencies to deploy personnel throughout the state.
The Governor also urged citizens to disregard rumors and false information about the elections, saying that all parties and supporters were given an equal chance to participate in the process that led to today.
PLASIEC has given all assurances of fairness, justice, and adherence to the rules of the game, so the people’s will expressed through the ballot box will be allowed to prevail.
