Anxiety over LG poll in Plateau: Election postponed; Advisory c’mittees’ tenure extended; INEC officials abandon office

Isaac Shobayo, Jos - 10.02.2008

AN air of apprehension has gripped the political parties and candidates for the earlier scheduled February 16 local government election in Plateau State, following the sudden extension of the tenure of the outgoing seventeen Advisory Committee Chairmen by the State House of Assembly. Sunday Tribune investigations revealed that the Chairman of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), Mr. Jefferson Majei and other members of the commission were summoned on Friday by the State House of Assembly over what they called shoddy preparation for the February 16 council poll.

A source close to the House of Assembly revealed that the commission’s chairman and others were in the meeting with the members of the House for close to three hours where they were asked about their state of preparedness for the election slated for next week Saturday.

It was learnt that after about three hours of a stormy session, the chairman was directed to go and adjust the electoral time-table in such a way that there would be smooth council poll since the earlier date set for the election was no longer feasible.

It was gathered that members of the Assembly and top government officials who met at about 4: 30 pm finally settled for March 15, this year for the election after due consultation with the State Governor, Jonah Jang who is outside the country.

Immediately after the meeting, the State House of Assembly convened and extended the tenure of the outgoing advisory committees in the 17 local government areas of the state. At the sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Alhaji Hassan Baba, 20 out of the 24 members of the House unanimously agreed that the tenure be extended by another one month.

Explaining the rationale behind the extension on the floor of the House, the deputy speaker said the extension became necessary in order not to create a vacuum at the local governments, since it was glaring that election could not hold as scheduled.

Sunay Tribune findings further revealed that the secretariat of the State Electoral Commission has been deserted by the both the workers and the electoral commissioners over the crisis generated by the way candidates’ names were substituted.

The Peoples Democratic Party in the state is now enmeshed in crisis over the substitution of names of two candidates with other aspirants who came third in the primary elections conducted in two council areas.

Sunday Tribune learnt that the names of Daniel Kungma of Mikan Local Government and Ramnap Zinven of Langtang Council were substituted on the order of the state chairman of the party.

All attempts to get official comment of the PLASEIC chairman proved abortive as his cellphone rang unpicked. The State Chairman of PDP, Chief Sylvanus Lot, in a telephone interview, said the party has a right over the primary elections, adding that an appeal committee would be set up to look into all the complaints.

Meanwhile, the state electoral commission has published the names of eligible candidates for the 17 local government areas of the state.