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Tag: PLASIEC

  • We are committed to conducting credible election on Oct 9 – PLASIEC

    We are committed to conducting credible election on Oct 9 – PLASIEC

     •To stage mock election to test ICT facility

    The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has expressed its commitment to conducting a credible election across the state on the 9th October 2024.

    PLASIEC chairman, Plangji Cishak, gave the assurance during a stakeholders meeting held in Jos.

    According to Cishak, “As we work towards the local governments election, citizens of the state have continued to express their desire for us to “write our names in gold” by conducting credible elections.

    “This aspiration of our citizens weighs heavily on us as we approach October 9, and we are committed to fulfilling it.”

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    Cishak stressed: “I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to our Executive Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, for entrusting my team and I with the immense responsibility of overseeing this crucial electoral process.”

    On the plan of PLASIEC to stage a mock election in 6 LGs, the commission chairman said, “This election will also mark a significant milestone in the history of PLASIEC, as we are introducing electronic components for the first time, including a state-of-the-art Voter Verification Software developed exclusively by our ICT team.

    “This innovation is designed to ensure that only eligible voters can cast their votes, a crucial step toward making sure that the voices of the Plateau people are heard and respected. Massive infrastructural investments have been made to cater for the effective deployment of this innovation.

    “As we continue our preparations, a mock election is scheduled for September 28, 2024. This exercise will serve as a test run for the Voter Verification Software and will help us identify any potential challenges before the actual election day. Our goal is to ensure that everything runs seamlessly on October 9, and we are dedicated to learning from this mock election to enhance our processes”.

  • Plateau LG polls: Angry youths block roads, insist on results

    Angry youths in Mangu have blocked the only road leading to Jos to protest alleged refusal of electoral officers to release the results of the Plateau local governments elections held on Wednesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria, reports that the youths have refused all entreaties to vacate the road, and have vowed to remain there until the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), announced the outcome of the polls.

    NAN sources indicated that trouble started Wednesday night when the Returning Officer for the local government, Mr Christopher Beten, General Manager, Plateau Environmental Protection Agency, started the collation of results from the wards, but abandoned the exercise midway.

    “The official had collected results from some wards when a call came. He immediately told the agents and other ward returning officers waiting to take their turns, that he had been summoned to Jos,” a security source told NAN.

    The source said that the caller also spoke with the Electoral Officer in charge of Mangu Local Government, Mr Hosea Plang, as well as a senior Police officer maintaining law and order at the centre, adding that the trio left the collation centre few minutes later.

    “This happened last night, but since they left, we have not seen any of them.

    “We suspect that they want to manufacture figures and announce same in Jos. That is why the youths are angry and have reacted by blocking the highway to demand for the declaration of the results,” the source told NAN.

    NAN reports that following the youths’ action, motorists coming from Shendam and Langtang axis have been stopped from moving to Jos, while those from Jos are massed up on the other side, waiting to be allowed to move.

    A spokesman of the youths, who gave his name as James, told NAN that the road would remain blocked “until the Returning Officer comes back to declare the result of yesterday’s election”.

    “We, the youths of Mangu, will not allow any car to pass through Mangu town until the needful is done by PLASIEC officials that conducted the local governments elections yesterday (Wednesday),” he said.

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    Contacted, Mr Terna Tyopev, spokesman of the Plateau Police Command, confirmed the protest, but said that security personnel were trying to calm the youths.

    “We are trying to ensure that the situation does not get out of hand.

    “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in Mangu has confirmed the whole situation to me, but we are doing our best and have appealed to the youths to be peaceful in their protest, ’’ he said.

    NAN reports that a similar situation is brewing in Pankshin Local Government where the PLASIEC Returning Officer has yet to show up at the collation centre as at 8.22 a.m. this morning.

    “We have just brought results collated from the wards to the local government collation centre, but there is no single PLASIEC official around to receive them,” Mr Samuel Goar, a former chairman of the local government, told NAN on Thursday.

    According to him “there appears to be some sinister move by PLASIEC and the state government to manipulate the election in favour of a political party, but we shall not accept such manipulation”.

    He said that candidates worked very hard for success at the polls and should not be robbed of the fruits of such labour.

    Also Speaking, Mr Dom Joseph, an official of the PDP, decried the attitude of PLASIEC officials, declaring that such behaviour was “shocking, disturbing and uncalled for”.

    “We suspected some foul play when they started sharing the sensitive materials and distributed duplicated copies of the results sheets instead of the original, to the 20 wards.

    “Since last night, we have been waiting for the PLASIEC officials, but none has surfaced so far. I have never seen a situation like this,” he said.

    Mr Benedict Shiknughul, PDP Vice Chariman, Plateau Central, told NAN in Mangu that the situation was “scary”.

    “What we have gathered is that PLASIEC has been told not to announce any result at the collation centres. The ploy is to cook figures and announce same in Jos.

    “We are surprised by what is happening because the tension it is generating is not good for the security situation in Plateau,” he said.

    Contacted, Mr Joshua Pesun, PLASIEC commissioner in charge of voter education and publicity, refused to comment on the development.

    “I cannot comment on this matter. Please contact the Chairman of the commission,” he told NAN.

  • Anger, anxiety in Langtang over withheld council results

    Anger, anxiety in Langtang over withheld council results

    •Polls recorded 85% success, says observers

    •APC: It was marred by fraud

    THERE are anger, anxiety, apprehension, suspicion and uncertainties in Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau state following refusal of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) to release results of the council’s chairmanship election.

    It was widely believed that the election was clearly won by the Democratic People’s Party (DPP).

    The opposition party is funded by the former Federal Capital Territory minister, Gen Jeremiah Useni(Rtd.).

    Security agencies have been drafted to the council to prevent breakdown of law and other.

    PLASIEC is also yet to announce results of the councillorship polls in the council, fuelling tensions in the area.

    Many alleged the results are about to be manipulated.

    The commission announced the results for 14 councils in the election, which held last Tuesday but has refused to announce the outcomes of the Langtang local government’s elections.

    Chairman of the PLASEIC, Peter Dalyop, who announced the results three days after the elections, said the exercise was inconclusive in Langtang.

    According to him: “There was no result of elections in one of the seventeen wards in Langtang North LGA.

    “The returning officer of that local government submitted the results of the local government without that of Jat ward.

    “In line with our law, PLASIEC will conduct a re-run of the election in Jat ward this week before announcing the result”.

    The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won in all the local governments so far released.

    The refusal to announce the results in Langtang have fuelled tensions as youths in are spoiling for a showdown with PLASIEC should the suspected victory of DPP be upturned.

    A councillor from Langtang, Nandum Ponfa said: “PLASIEC is only trying a way to snatch the victory from DPP. The people are angry and there is fear all over.

    “No one knows what PDP is trying to do but I’m afraid if they tamper with the result of Langtang, there will be breakdown of law.”

    However, a coalition of accredited domestic observers said the election recorded 85% success.

    Spokesman of the coalition, Boniface Okafor, said: “25 of us were accredited as domestic observers. We came in, monitored the election and we can say the election was 85% successful.

    “We observed that there was early distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, the voters were peaceful in their conduct as well as the contesting political parties.”

    But the opposition parties led by All Progressives Congress (APC) said the elections were marred with frauds and should be cancelled.

    Plateau State Interim Secretary of APC, Ibrahim Nakande, said: “There are some noticeable malpractices capable of discrediting the exercise; it should rather be canceled”.

    He alleged snatching of ballot boxes in several councils.

     

  • Curfew in Plateau

    The police in Plateau State have imposed a curfew on the state to ensure a peaceful conduct of the council election.

    The council election will hold today and the curfew is from 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

    Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) Peter Dalyop said elections would not hold in Jos North and Wase local governments for security reasons.

    Police commissioner Chris Olakpe said: “The long-awaited local government election is coming up on February 25 and the police command has placed preventive and proactive strategies to ensure a hitch-free poll.

    “Part of the strategies is that there will be restricted movement. Within the period of the curfew, there should be no movement of people and vehicles, except those on essential services or on election-related services.

    “Travellers and motorists should avoid passing through the state within the period, as the curfew also affects inter-state transportation.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Plateau council poll holds Dec. 21

    The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) yesterday reaffirmed its readiness to conduct the local government election on December 21. It advised the public to ignore any rumour to the contrary. “There is no going back on the December 21 date for the conduct of the local government,” PLASIEC said through its Public Relations Officer, Mrs Christiana Choji. Mrs Choji told NAN that the commission was ready to conduct a “free and fair elections,” adding that necessary arrangements were in place to ensure a hitch-free conduct. “The commission still stands by the election timetable released to all political parties on September 2. PLASIEC also wishes to remind political parties that collection and return of PLASIEC form 001 by parties will end on November 7,” she said.