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Tag: Plateau

  • Plateau: rerun election will be walk over, says Lalong

    Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, on Monday boasted that the March 23 supplementary election in the state will be a walk-over for him and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Plateau is one of the states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared the result of the March 9 governorship and state house of assembly elections as inconclusive.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Lalong said that the renewed insecurity in the state is politically motivated.

    He also said that workers in the state were interested in his victory in the election in order to guarantee the prompt payment of their salaries.

    On his visit to the State House, he said, “My meeting with the president is the usual briefing; I call it usual because of my passion for peace in the state. It is not about the election, it is about the peace, to ensure we have very peaceful elections.

    “So far so good, we have had very good peaceful elections. We are coming back for supplementary elections, I will like INEC to conduct a peaceful election and so we will like the security apparatus to be on ground in the state. That was my briefing to Mr. President.”

    As the supplementary elections comes up on Saturday, he said that he was not in panic mood.

    “How can I be when all the votes that were cancelled were my votes?” he queried

    The governor went on “These were areas that I won. There was no need for cancellation but then as a lawyer, I still want to comply with the rules, I don’t want to be talking about infringing on the rules when the elections result is very clear.

    “They said registered voters were 49,000 but the votes were not up to 20,000 but people were still saying we need 49,000 and I was already on top with 45,000 votes. So we are going to get the 49,000. How can you imagine that a sitting governor cannot get 3,000 votes out of 39,000 in an area that I have well dominated for a very long time.

    “So for me, election is as good as concluded in Plateau State. I see it as an opportunity for people whose votes were cancelled for them to vote. People came and said their votes were cancelled, it is for them to go back and vote and ensure their vote counts this time around.

    “That is why I support that we go back and conduct the elections. If they (INEC) like, let them conduct the elections more than once, we will soon win.” he said

    Asked his reaction to the recent attack on the Plateau state, he said, “That was why I said I am concerned about security. Usually it starts like that, they start rustling and killing cattle and the next thing you will hear is that, it is farmers’ herders’ crisis. I know that I have addressed that issue for a very long time and the police is handling the security.

    “So I informed Mr. President that we are on top of the situation because we wouldn’t want that to escalate into farmers, herdsmen crisis. It is not farmers, herdsmen crisis; it is criminals trying to ferment trouble after losing elections.

    Asked whether he suspected political undertone in the insecurity situation in the state he said, “Very well. I always say it has political undertone, why is it happening immediately after elections. It usually happens immediately before or after elections, why is it like that? It has some political connotation.”

    He said that people in the state were happy with his administration because there will be continuation of completion of projects and initiation of new projects.

    “The civil servants have been crying that if I loss elections that means they will be owed salaries again.

    “So we want to continue with payment of salaries, gratuities, completion of projects that were started before I came and the ones I have initiated. That is the next level in Plateau State,” he said.

  • INCONCLUSIVE POLLS:Who wins Kano, Sokoto, Bauchi, Adamawa, Benue Plateau?

    After 9th March 2019 Governorship and State Assembly Elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared six state’s exercise inconclusive. This week, electoral body announced that it would hold supplementary elections in the affected states on 23rd March 2019. In this report, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports on how the extra elections would be fought and won

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced during the week that it will on March 23, 2019, conduct extra elections in the six states where the March 9 Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections were declared inconclusive. The affected states where the commission will be holding the supplementary polls are: Plateau, Sokoto, Bauchi, Benue, Adamawa and Kano.

    A statement on Tuesday by Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission met on Monday and reviewed the conduct of the 29 Governorship and 991 State Constituency Elections held across the country on the 9th of March 2019. The commission had declared winners in the governorship elections in only 22 states while the Returning Officers (ROs) in Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto states declared the elections inconclusive.

    “Consequently, the commission will conduct supplementary elections on Saturday 23rd March 2019 to conclude the process. Supplementary elections will also hold in polling units in all states where State Assembly elections were declared inconclusive and winners could not be declared,” Okoye said. Details of the constituencies including number of polling units and registered voters were published on the commission’s website last Wednesday, 13th March 2019.

    Expectedly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been bragging about their capacity to carry the day ahead of the March 23 Supplementary Elections to decide who will control power in the six aforementioned states. While the leadership of the APC has expressed its satisfaction with the decisions of INEC, the PDP is faulting the commission’s decision in some states like Sokoto, Adamawa and Benue.

    Both parties however vowed to win the re-run election billed for March 23 in all the states. While the APC now have control of 18 states following its victory in 13 of the 22 declared states, which is now added to the five states of Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kogi and Osun already in its kitty, the PDP can boast of 10 states, adding nine newly won states to Bayelsa State. The two parties are now poised to increase their tallies by adding more states on March 23.

     

    SOKOTO

    In Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of the PDP, who scored 489, 588, is leading his APC counterpart, Aliyu Sokoto, who garnered 486, 145 votes, with 3,413 votes. According to the details released by the electoral umpire, the two leading parties will on March 23, battle for 75,493 votes in 136 polling units in 22 local government areas of the state.

    Before the process was declared inconclusive, the two parties were laying claim to victory. But pundits say with over 75, 000 votes still at stake and the margin between Tambuwal and Sokoto standing at a meagre 3, 413, the March 23 election can tilt the final result of the governorship election in Sokoto state either way. “It is still too early to say precisely who will emerge the next governor of Sokoto state,” an analyst said.

    Factors being considered by pundits in putting the tag of ‘unpredictable’ on the ongoing contest in Sokoto State include the APC’s sterling performance during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the state and PDP’s unexpected comeback during the inconclusive Governorship and State Assembly polls. While the APC swept majority of the votes across the state in the earlier election, the PDP is leading in the latter with a slight margin.

    The presidential election results in Sokoto State showed that while President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC scored 490,333 votes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the opposition PDP got 361,604 votes to place second. The APC also won the three senatorial seats in the state and pocketed majority of the House of Representatives seats. But during the Governorship and State Assembly Elections, the PDP turned the table and took the lead.

    Consequently, with the margin so slim and the votes to contest for quite much, Sokoto State remains a battleground ahead of the March 23 extra election. Reliable sources in the state told The Nation that the final result of the election in the state will be determined by some very local issues that are of importance to the ordinary people of the state. “The people are voting based on their individual convictions as to which of the two leaders, Wammakko and Tambuwal, can better their lots,” a source explained.

    Verdict: Battleground

     

    ADAMAWA

    Before the process was declared inconclusive in Adamawa, the PDP, with 367,471 votes as against APC’s 334,995, was leading by 32,476 votes. The candidates of the two parties have 40,998 votes to fight for. Incumbent Governor Jibrilla Bindow of the APC and his challenger PDP Umar Fintiri will be slugging it out on March 23. Convinced that it won the election outrightly on the first ballot, the PDP has been clamouring that it should be declared winner.

    On its part, the APC, realising that it has a hard task ahead of it, has been strategising on how to turn the table on March 23. But pundits say it is a herculean task that may be very difficult to carry out. With barely 41, 000 votes up for grab and the PDP already at advantage with 32, 471, in a state that was won by the opposition party during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, the APC may be unable to wrought any magic.

    During the Presidential Election, PDP’s Atiku Abubakar polled 412, 266 to defeat APC’s President Muhammadu Buhari, his closest challenger who scored 377,488. The results show a difference of 34,778 between them. Ironically, Buhari won 11 of the state’s 21 local government areas, while Abubakar picked the remaining 10. Earlier, the PDP presidential candidate had lost his polling unit to the APC.

    The PDP had also won two, out of the three senatorial seats in the state as well as majority of the House of Representatives seats. Ishaku Elisha Cliff of the PDP, clinched the Adamawa North senatorial seat while his party man, Yaroe Binos Dauda, emerged winner in Adamawa South. The ruling party, APC claimed victory only through Dahiru Aishatu Ahmed, who was declared winner in Adamawa Central Senatorial District.

    All these facts, and more, will be trailing both the PDP and the APC as they go to polls on March 23 to decide the final winner of the obviously keen contest. However, the APC remains disadvantaged. Aside from the huge deficit the party will be struggling to cancel, renewed infighting among its chieftains may also work against its victory at the supplementary election.

    Verdict: PDP

     

    BAUCHI

    Before INEC announced that it will, next Tuesday, be resuming collation of governorship election result in Bauchi State and may declare the winner of the poll, hitherto ruled as inconclusive, the planned re-run election in the state, earlier scheduled for March 23, from all available facts, as well as emerging indications from parts of the state where elections were to hold, remained too close to call. The PDP candidate Bala Muhammed, is currently enjoying a slight lead with 4,059 votes. At the end of the inconclusive first ballot, the PDP had 469,512 votes while the APC candidate, Governor Mohammed Abubakar, got 465,453 votes.

    According to INEC, There were 139,240 cancelled votes to that were to be contested for on March 23. The voters in the affected polling units were to decide the winner of the tense governorship contest in the northeastern state. Before the inconclusive election, opinion as to which party will win Bauchi remained divided. The state, before 2015, has been a stronghold of the PDP.

    While those banking on President Buhari’s popularity in the state predicted that Governor Abubakar will retain his seat, others, citing the local politics of the state as well as some failings of the Abubakar led APC administration, coupled with the growing popularity of the opposition PDP in the last few years, said it will be easier for the opposition party to displace APC at the gubernatorial election. Not even the victory of the APC at the presidential election changed their stance.

    Though the APC won the three senatorial seats and majority of House of Representatives slots in the state, the victory of Speaker Yakubu Dogara and a host of other PDP candidates in the state provided a platform for the opposition party to rally its forces ahead of the gubernatorial and state assembly elections. The improved performance of the PDP in the inconclusive polls, according to analysts, is a result of the local issues determining the people’s voting preferences.

    But the political scenario in Bauchi state changed once again when the electoral commission announced its latest decision concerning the guber election in the state in a press statement on Friday night reportedly after resolving some issues around the result of Tafawa Balewa local government and some polling units in Ningi local government.

    INEC did not state whether by the decision, the scheduled supplementary election on 23 March has been cancelled. According to INEC, the number of cancelled votes in four polling units in Ningi Local Government was 2,533 and not 25,330 as recorded. On Tafawa Balewa Local Government election result, where collation was disrupted by armed gangs, affecting 7 out of 11 registration areas for governorship and 6 out of 11 for state assembly elections, INEC said a committee set up, has found that the results in polling units and registration areas are “available and in safe custody”.

    INEC thus decided to resume the resumption and conclusion of the collation of results of the council area for both the governorship and state assembly elections A new collation and returning officer for Tafawa Balewa has been appointed “to continue and conclude the collation process in place of the original collation officer, who withdrew from the exercise citing threats to her life and those of her family members”. The threatened collation officer was Dominion Anosike.

    While INEC says result in Tafawa Balewa will be announced after collation, the PDP claims it garnered over 40, 000 votes in the L.G.A to APC’s less than 30, 000. It is however left to be seen if the party’s claim will tally with the result INEC will come up with. Head or tail, the governorship election in Bauchi state is a straight fight between incumbent Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress and former minister, Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party.

    Verdict: Battleground

     

    BENUE

    At the end of the inconclusive gubernatorial election in Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom of the PDP got 410, 576. His closest rival, Emmanuel Jime of the APC got 329, 022 at the close of the first ballot. Going by the result released by INEC, PDP’s Ortom currently leads the governorship contest with 81,554 votes. The two frontline candidates will be slugging out for 121, 011 votes in the affected polling units across the state.

    But analysts say it is going to be very difficult for APC, which also lost the last Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the state to the PDP, to overturn the deficit and win the supplementary election. “PDP will most likely go ahead to consolidate its lead at the extra polls on its way to finally retaining the troubled state in its political kitty till 2023,” an analyst said.

    Before Governor Ortom moved over to the PDP last year, Benue State was controlled by the APC. But following incessant face-offs between Ortom and the leadership of his then party as well as the presidency over the herdsmen/farmers clashes in the state, Ortom defected to the PDP and picked its governorship ticket. Many prominent chieftains of the APC, including Senator Barnabas Gemade, also dumped the party.

    The presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had emerged winner of the Presidential Election in the state last month. The result, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Collation Officer Prof. Sabastine Maimako, in Makurdi showed that President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC scored 347,668 vote, while Atiku scored 355,255 votes.

    Also noteworthy is the fact that during the presidential election, APC won in 10 Local Government Areas of the state, while PDP won in 13 Local Government Areas. The party also cleared all the three senatorial seats up for grab. Former Governor Gabriel Suswam emerged as the Senator for Benue North East, Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev for Benue North West and ex-Minister Patrick Abba Moro in Benue South.

    Majority of the State Assembly seats declared in the state are also now in the kitty of the PDP. The unexpected loss of the Benue North West seat by the APC leader in the state, Senator George Akume, disorganised the party ahead of the Governorship and State Assembly Elections. Though local issues like non-payment of workers’ salaries and lack of infrastructural amenities worked against the PDP and Governor Ortom, it appears the many killings and attacks suffered by the state decided how they voted.

    Verdict: PDP

     

    PLATEAU

    In Plateau State, incumbent Governor Simon Lalong of the APC got 583, 255 to lead Senator Jeremiah Useni of the PDP with 44,929 votes. Useni got 538, 326. The duo will be fighting for the outstanding 49,377 votes. But many analysts say the election is APC’s to win. With only 49, 377 votes to be contested for in the affected polling units, and APC already comfortably leading with 44, 929, the opposition party looks defeated already.

    Aside from its comfortable lead, the ruling APC also pocketed majority of the state assembly seats to show its acceptance across the state. The ruling party is also benefiting from the performance of Governor Lalong, which has been adjudged by many to be commendable, especially his ability to restore and maintain peace in the troubled parts of the North Central state. His relationship with civil servants in the state is also a plus for the ruling party.

    The current result of the governorship election which shows that APC is ahead of the PDP is a departure from what obtained at the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the state. Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the PDP, won the presidential election in Plateau after scoring 548,665 votes. Atiku defeated his closest opponent, Muhammadu Buhari, of the APC, who scored 468, 555 votes. Atiku won in 11 local government areas while Buhari won in six LGAs of the state.

    Although the APC lost the state to the PDP during the presidential election and could only manage to win one of the three senatorial seats, with one declared inconclusive, observers of the politics of the state insist that APC looks good to win the governorship election in the end.

    Verdict: APC

     

    KANO

    Kano State is one of the states where supplementary election will be holding on March 23. There are 100, 873 votes to decide who wins the election. The PDP, with 1,014,474 votes, is in the lead while the APC, which got 987, 810, is trailing in second place. The margin in the scores of the two contenders stands at 26,664 votes. It is this calculation that informs the position of most pundits that the election is still very open for either the ruling APC or the opposition PDP to win.

    The turn of events in the Kano gubernatorial election is coming as a huge surprise to many watchers of the unfolding political drama, but analysts conversant with the voting pattern of the people of the Northwestern state say there’s nothing strange in what has happened. According to Istifanus Bako of the Centre for Democracy and Good Governance (CDGG), local issues are determining the ongoing voting patterns.

    Given that President Buhari of the APC recorded a landslide victory at the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the state, many pundits have given the Gubernatorial and State Assembly polls to the ruling party without batting an eyelid. The presidential candidate of the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, defeated his opponent, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the PDP, with 1, 073, 175 votes.

    The APC Presidential candidate garnered 1, 464, 768 votes, to defeat the PDP candidate, who garnered 391,593 votes.

    The APC also pocketed the three senatorial seats in the state to drive home its landslide victory at the Presidential and National Assembly Elections. Former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau won the Kano Central Senatorial seat, Barau Jibrin emerged the senator in Kano North while another former governor, Gaya Ibrahim Kabiru, claimed the seat in Kano South.

    But during the inconclusive Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections, the tide changed as many voters opted to vote against Governor Abdulai Ganduje. Sources say the dollar scandal he got enmeshed in shortly before the general elections commenced has done a lot of damages to his popularity, especially among the ordinary people of the state. This appears to be working against him and the APC at the polls.

    The PDP governorship candidate in the state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has expressed confidence that he would emerge winner of the coming governorship re-run election in the state. Kabir-Yusuf, who is the son-in-law of PDP chieftain, Rabui Kwankwaso, says Kano people want a trustworthy leader. This is just as Governor Ganduje promised that the PDP will be shocked by the outcome of the re-run elections.

    Ganduje said he was unperturbed by the wishful thinking and slapdash deportment of the PDP candidate considering what happened in the inconclusive election widely characterized by alleged vote buying and voter’s intimidation by the party. The two parties, sources claim, are working round the clock in the affected areas to ensure that they get the votes needed to merge victorious on March 23. The March 23 supplementary election will take place in 210 Polling Units constituting 88 Registration Areas.

    Verdict: Battleground

  • APC, PDP boast ahead of March 23 extra elections

    Ganduje: PDP’ll be shocked

    PDP ‘sure of victory’

    Tambuwal, Sokoto APC: we’re ready for exercise

    Plateau APC: we’re set

    Date okay, says PDP

    Adamawa APC: INEC must respond to our concern

    A war of words broke out yesterday between the two major political parties ahead of the March 23 supplementary elections to decide who will control power in six states.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were bragging about their capacity to carry the day.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC) has fixed 23rd March for supplementary elections in Sokoto, Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, Kano and Bauchi states.

    INEC announced the date in a press statement signed by the National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye.

    INEC noted that it acted in compliance within the ambit of the Electoral Act.

    Okoye also noted that in the case of Bauchi State, an investigation team had been set up to look into the matter.

    The statement reads: “The Commission met today, l2” March 2019 and reviewed the conduct of the 29 Governorship and 991 State constituency elections held on 9th March 2019. In all, the Commission declared winners in the Governorship elections in 22 states.

    “However, the Returning Officers in Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue. Kano, Plateau and Sokoto states declared the governorship elections inconclusive. Consequently. the Commission will conduct supplementary elections on Saturday 23rd  March 2019 to conclude the process. Supplementary elections will also hold in polling units in all states where state Assembly elections were declared inconclusive and winners could not be declared. Details of the constituencies, including number of polling units and registered voters, will be published on our website (tomorrow) Wednesday 13th March, 2019.

    “The elections were declared inconclusive for a combination of reasons, mainly the discontinuation of use of the Smart Card Readers midway into the elections or the failure to deploy them, over-voting and widespread disruption in many polling units.

    “In compliance with the Margin of Lead Principle derived from Sections 26 and 53 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amcndcd) and paragraph 41(e) and 43(b) of the [NEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections, the outcome of these elections could not be determined without conducting polls in the affected polling units. Hence, the Commission’s decision to conduct supplementary elections in line with this principle.

    “Furthermore, the Commission has considered a Report submitted by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Bauchi State on the disruption of the collation at the Tafawa Balewa LGA collation centre. which led to the cancellation of results for the entire local government. The Commission found that there are issues that need further investigation and has set up a team led by a National Commissioner to resolve them.”

    Here is a report of what the parties are saying:

    SOKOTO

    The APC candidate in Sokoto State, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, had on Monday accepted in good faith the declaration of the election as inconclusive.

    “I, and my party, have accepted the outcome in good faith. If you recall on the day of election, I made it clear after casting my vote that, I will accept any outcome in good faith,” he said.

    Addressing reporters at the Gawon Nama home of the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum and Coodinator, Northwest APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, the APC candidate said: “The party, its leaders and supporters are law abiding citizens and, as such, we have accepted the decision by INEC, in good faith.

    “The action of the Chief Reurning Officer, who declared the election as inconclusive was in line with the nation’s constitution, as well as the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended.

    “The declaration of the elections as inconclusive came at a time when the party was leading and we have won more than the two-thirds majority of the votes, as required by the law.

    “Apt and accurate figures in our possession have shown that, I was already coasting to victory, yet, we directed our peaceful and lawful supporters to halt their celebrations.

    “We have since directed them to embark on immediate and massive mobilisation of our supporters and the patriotic electorate, in readiness for the forthcoming rerun elections in 136 polling units across 22 local government areas to be conducted by INEC later”,  Sokoto  added.

    “There is no cause for alarm, victory is ours, Insha Sha Allah,” he said.

    Governor Waziri Tambuwal and PDP governorship candidate in Sokoto state had on Monday INEC to as a matter of fairness and justice declare him winner of the poll.

    According to him the decision by the Returning Officer of INEC, Prof Fatima Mukhtar to declare the exercise inconclusive was unconstitutional.

    He cited Section 179(2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic stated that the provision clearly explained how to conduct governorship polls.

    “Our party, the PDP has returned the highest number of votes and we have won 2/3 of the local governments in the state and therefore, the decision of INEC is not founded in law. We wonder why INEC is coming with this technical reason to declare the exercise inconclusive.” Tambuwal said.

    He told reporters in Government House, Sokoto, that the INEC decision would be put to test in the court, saying: “We have not been given substantial reasons for such decision. INEC should note that it has an image and integrity to protect as an agency and for its officials. It should not put its integrity to public questioning.

    “Up till now (Monday), we have not been told why the cancellations of the exercise in 136 polling units across 22 local government areas. We know there are adverse factors that should be considered to warrant such decisions and not in all cases rerun should be conducted.”

    On whether he and his party would participate in the supplementary election, the governor said: “Our court action will not stop us from participating. We want to make sure the right thing is done based on constitutional provisions.”

    PLATEAU

    The Chairman of Governor Simon Lalong’s Second Term Campaign Council (Media), Jonathan Ishaku, yesterday said the party and its candidate were ready for the poll.

    Ishaku, who spoke on phone with our Jos correspondent, said: “The party had resolved from the moment they declared the election inconclusive that we were going to cooperate with INEC for the re-run.

    “Obviously, the re-run is an exercise we need to use to justify the victory of our party at the poll. The people of the state have voted massively for the APC, the results are there.

    “So, the re-run is in our interest and we welcome the new date with both arms.”

    Also yesterday, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, John Akans, said the date fixed by INEC is convenient for the party and its candidate.

    Akans said: “The re-run itself is a constitutional provision and, as a law abiding party, we will prepare and mobilise our supporters to come out and vote for our party.”

    ADAMAWA

    The APC said the electoral umpire acted within the law in fixing a date for the rerun within 21 days after the main election.

    It, however urged INEC to respond to the issues it raised concerning the March 9 election.

    The Secretary of the APC in the state, Wafarniyi Theman, who spoke with our reporter on the telephone, stressed that what the party would eventually decide concerning the date for the rerun would be determined by INEC’s response to its petition.

    Theman did not specify the issues in APC’s petition. The party addressed the press on Monday evening, rejecting the outcome of the governorship election and demanding a repeat election in places where it said there were over-voting and use of security personnel to intimidate APC agents, among other things.

    The PDP also said it had issues with INEC, such as the decision to declare the election inconclusive based on slimness of margin of lead vis-à-vis the number of registered voters in polling units where voting was cancelled rather number of people who collected PVCs.

    The party, however, said it was ready for the rerun, irrespective of INEC’s response or lack of it to its objection.

    Theman said: “We are ready for the rerun because we have nothing to fear, we are set for victory; this is why we wonder why they should declare the election inconclusive because all the collected PVCs in the units where the rerun has been scheduled cannot upturn the lead we already have.”

    BENUE

    Benue APC Administrative Secretary Mark Hanmation said the party was ready for the supplementary poll.

    According to Hamation, “the APC is going for nothing short of victory.”

    In a related development, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Bemgba Iortyom, said the ruling party has perfected its strategy ahead of the March 23 poll.

    In a press statement, Iortyom said:  “The PDP is going into the supplementary election with 81,000 votes advantage and hope to win the election which was delayed.”

     

  • Police dismisses Plateau ‘Jihad’ rumour

    The Plateau State Police Command has urged the public to disregard an inciting rumour about a coming ‘jihad’ in the state.

    A statement by the police spokesman Tyopev Terna, a deputy superintendent of police, said an inciting document entitled: The Final Jihad on the Plateau was circulated on the social media by mischief makers.

    The Police said it was with the sole aim of creating fear, anxiety and hate among the peace-loving people of Plateau to cause a breakdown of law and order.

    The statement says: “After a thorough and careful investigation, the Plateau State Police Command realised that the initiator of this inciting document opened a fake Facebook account just for this purpose which he has since closed down.

    “The Command also found out that there was no truth in the write-up and considers it as the handiwork of faceless mischief makers who are bent on fanning the embers of religious and political hate and disunity in the state with a view to causing the breach of the peace in the state.

    “The Plateau State Police Command, therefore, warn that any individual or group of individuals caught circulating documents capable of inciting religious passion or promoting hate speeches will be dealt with in accordance with the extant laws of the land.

    “Members of the general public are, therefore, advised to ignore such insidious writeups and go about their normal and lawful businesses.”

  • ‘Why Plateau established peace agency’

    Chief Robert Taple is a lawyer and Plateau State Local Government Service Commission Chairman. In this interview with Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, he speaks on the rule of law, democracy and governance. 

    How have you improved the rule of law in the past few years of your administration?

     Our Governor, Rt. Hon Simon Bako Lalong, a lawyer, has enthroned the rule of law in governance by the review of all laws to the challenges and respect for the rule of law and good governance in Plateau State, introduced substantial legal reforms resulting in functional institutional governance. He sees the rule of law as the sine qua non for peaceful co-existence and sustainable development in Plateau State. The ultramodern Multi billion naira State High Court complex is nearing completion.

    Your government has been in office for almost four years, how do you  assess democracy?

    Well, we now have about 19 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, which reminds us of those who struggled for the restoration and entrenchment of democracy in the country. We salute their courage and pay glowing tributes to them for their courage and steadfastness. God blessed us with a governor who is a bundle  humility, who is interested in the corporate existence of Plateau State as a miniature Nigeria where everybody is equal before the law, enjoys the dividends of democracy, pursues his or her daily living without fear or molestation irrespective  of the ethnic, religious of political affiliation

    The Rescue Team of which you are a serving officer, has been in charge of the government of Plateau State for almost four years. Looking back, what do you have to say about this?

    At this stage of our administration’s rescue mission for the development of our state, I am obliged to acknowledge the efforts that made this possible; the forces that connived against our commonwealth did not demoralise or dampen our spirit. Our collective resolve has given hope in the future of Plateau State and march to greatness.

    What do you mean by this?

    Well, we did not expect that the challenges will be easy. Yet, our people encouraged us to strive on, stood by us, counseled us, cautioned us and above all prayed for our administration and for the progress of our dear state.  Having contributed in confidence building in our governance process, they have individually and collectively anchored our journey towards repositioning Plateau State on the path of greatness.

    What did you do within this period?

    Our governor courageously took decisions and actions that might have been considered drastic, but I must say, they were taken in the interest of the state, especially in the face of recession and dwindling resources. If we must have a secured future, certain sacrifices must be made to meet the basic needs of our people, consolidate on good governance process for development and peaceful coexistence.

    You promised to restore the glory of Plateau State. How far have you gone  in achieving this?

    Yes, we gave the good people of Plateau State our words that we will do our best to restore the glory of our State within and outside the country. We fully accepted the weight of the responsibility you have placed on our shoulders through your ballots. Three years on the mantle of leadership, We restate our commitment to providing the desired leadership for our state. Despite the various challenges we faced in achieving this, we have made tremendous progress. We have approached development from a holistic perspective and not just physical. Thus, on assumption of office one of the steps we took in line with providing good and practical governance was the radical overhauling of the Directorate of Research, Strategic Planning and Documentation. Thus, in driving the governance process and monitoring the health of the government in the past three years, score card of performances of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been collated, the successes or achievements and challenges recorded.

    What about accountability and transparency in governance?

    For the first time in the process of accountability in governance, our report card have been publicly presented in greater details by the Director-General, Research and Documentation when we marked our midterm in office. Furthermore, strategies of further enhancing greater productivity for the remaining part of 2019 are being fashioned out in line with our five policy thrusts, the three new normal and expected inputs from the stake holders after our town hall meetings. In this way, all hands would be seen to be on deck in the discharge of our roles, functions and operations towards sustainable development of the state.

    In a nutshell, what can you say you have achieved in the past four years in government?

     In the past three years and continuing, Governor Lalong’s administration has renewed the platforms of appropriate rebalancing and provision of practical governance, we have made tremendous progress. In counting our achievements, I commend the commitment and diligence of all the leadership and support staff of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that have made uncommon contributions in the successes recorded during the past three years of this administration. Although more detailed records of our works can be seen in our published report to be circulated during our town hall meeting and to different organizations.

    Can you give us a summary?

    Governor Lalong and his government have sustained policy initiatives and implementation of decisions that have impacted on the people’s moral, well-being and confidence. We have evolved a strategic proactive approach and return of peace, which have today made the State a “Conference State” ensured mutual trust, promoted series of carnivals, Trade Fairs, Sporting activities, etc.

    We have revitalised some moribund industries and still counting; just as social services sectors like health, education, agriculture, youth, sports, and information dissemination, amongst others have been repositioned and are producing results. The fertiliser-blending plant at Gboko is producing at maximum capacity and we do not have the challenge of fertiliser in Plateau State again

    Above all, we reorganised the Civil Service and cleared all outstanding salary liabilities inherited from the immediate past government, and we have ensured that our workers are paid as at when due. We are ready to do more. We have paid backlog of salaries to our respected retired civil servants and pensioners and sustenance of prompt payments and  carried out various roads rehabilitation as well as embarked on new ones, including roads dualisation of projects.

    Our administration has given unprecedented attention to the education sector from primary to tertiary, especially governance restructuring, funding, Staff recruitment, renovation and furnishing of 10 primary schools in each local government area. We have paid backlog of counterpart funds in the education, health and economic sectors for the benefit of our people and introduced substantial legal reforms, resulting in functional institutional governance.

    What else?

    We have restored compulsory environmental sanitation with the aim of placing the state on the most serene state in the country, established standards for governance, which include equitable distribution of resources, balancing in appointments and promotions, respect for due process and repositioning the State on the path of greatness. Established of Efficiency Unit, which has ensured fiscal discipline and substantial savings of funds to the government.

    What are your achievements in the area of good governance?

    The Simon Lalong administration  has been able to sustain the ideals of practical governance, predicated on our core values of belief in, and the fear of God; upholding the rule of law; preserving our unity; pursuit of a just and egalitarian Plateau; strengthening of institutions; commitment to social justice and economic progress; and a people oriented governance process, devoid of nepotism and selfishness. All these have significantly contributed in restoring confidence within the polity, while at the same time providing the much needed dividends of democracy to the citizenry even in the face of limited resources. Government will continue to step up actions in delivering dividends of democracy, as can be seen in the respective MDAs.

    We urge our people to turn our en-masse to vote for Governor Lalong on Saturday to enable him consolidate on his achievements.

    Governor Lalong is reputed to have restored relative peace in the state immediately after his assumption of office. How is the state now?

    You will recall that the first item on our five policy thrusts speak to issues of Peace, Security and Governance. Our governor believes that no meaningful development can take place in an unstable and chaotic social and political environment. Until the unfortunate incident of the 2001 ethno-religious crisis that engulfed the Jos metropolis and later spread to other parts of our state, Plateau state has earned for itself a reputation of being the most ideal melting pot for cosmopolitan and social in Nigeria. Our state was known for its Peace and calmness and our cities and villages mirrored the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians from different ethnic backgrounds and religious persuasions. Cosmopolitanism, anchored in multi-ethnicity and multiple languages has led to a culture of tolerance and friendly relations between Christians and Muslim for many years.  However all these changed since the September 2001 meltdown, described as “the first episode of mass violence in Jos since the Nigerian civil war”. We were thus poised to tackle head-on the challenges of Peace and security in Plateau State before any other thing. To us, this was the first test of leadership that confronted our administration upon assumption of office on May 29,  2015.

    Our open, sincere and pragmatic approach to transforming the conflict we inherited has no doubt yielded the much celebrated return of peace across the 17 LGAs of Plateau State. During this period, we took some  concrete steps to arrest the deteriorating security situation in the state. These include: Constitution of a Committee that brokered Peace and Reconciliation between Berom and Fulani as well as other committees set up from time to time to sustain brokering of peace; Created Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA); Promoting of inter-ethnic and Interfaith dialogue; Ensured inclusive governance in terms of political appointment and representation; Support to Operation Rainbow and other Peace Initiatives such as Carnivals from the Ministry of Tourism.

    What is the essence of the Peace Building Agency?

    It is worthy of emphasis that the Peace Building Agency is a dedicated institutional framework for conflict prevention and Peace building. The agency was created through an act of legislation and signed into law within the first year of my administration. The Agency has since its creation been engaging with relevant state and non-state actors across the state and beyond. In line with its operational mandate, the agency has equally facilitated the creation of a wide range of platforms for discussion on actual and potential issues of conflict with both local and international stakeholders. A very important example in this regards was the series of interactions it organised on the highly contentious and polarizing ranching policy proposal of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Agency has also been working on developing practical strategies and policy measures that can address some of the underlying causes of conflicts in the state.

    What have you achieved in the area of physical infrastructure?

    When Governor Lalong’s administration assumed office on May 29, 2015, it was confronted with many uncompleted and abandoned projects all over the state. With determination and zeal and above all with the policy of completing all abandoned ongoing projects which are relevant to the socio-economic development of the State. In our ongoing project execution in the State numbering 170 projects spread across different MDAS, a total of N17,384,857,583.88 has, so far, been spent on projects across the State from January 2016 to April, 2017. The following projects have been completed: The Plateau state Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, which was long abandoned. The Plateau State Geographic Information System (PLAGIS), along with flag off of issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O); The popular Jos and Bukuru metropolitan Operation Zero Pothole puts back many roads to their usable form or shape through filing and rehabilitation of major road networks; The construction of Rantiya Road Network, work is at completion stage, The  Wildlife Park – Rafiki Junction And Rehabilitation Of Miango Junction; The Kalong Bridge And Road Approaches; Plateau State University Bokkos road network; amongst others.

     What has the administration done in the area of education?

    The present administration has continued to prioritise education and the sector has continued enjoying the tremendous support at all levels. During the period under review, we have achieved the following. Cleared the backlog of General students allowance studying in all the tertiary institutions both locally and internationally, amounting to N364,022,000. We recruited, about 4,800 primary school teachers with a minimum of National Certificate in Education (NCE) qualification through a community based approach meant to address the teachers deficit in this critical formative stage of education. Renovated and constructed over 325 blocks of classes in primary schools across the 3 geopolitical zones under the School Renewal Program (SRP). The Plateau Agency for Non-Formal Education has been repositioned and with the resumption of classes for all adult education programs in the state.

    How?

    We have instituted the pre-resumption meeting of teachers and stakeholders at the school level to ascertain preparedness for resumption by pupils and parents. We have  graduated 3,395 citizens in the N-power teach, N-power agro and N-power health Federal Government programme aimed at employing graduate youths in Nigeria to teach in Public primary schools, work in Health centresand agriculture ministry. Established SUBEB mini Museum/Arts and crafts gallery and the display of Arts and Crafts works during the career day to showcase the skills and talents of our pupils, serve as a historical reference for both teachers and pupils. Promoted 15,399 SUBEB staff comprising of 15,196 LGEA Staff members across the 17 LGEAs and 203 Staff of the SUBEB Headquarters. Sensitisation workshops for 17 Agric. Desk Officers for the 17 LGEAs and the establishment of a domestic farm at the Primary Education Department in Hwolshe, Jos. Through the Teachers Service Commission, government recruited teachers in areas they were lacking and phased out unqualified ones. Support funding to all our tertiary institutions, particularly successful accreditation of all 17 programmes of the state university, which in turn, facilitated the mobilisation of the two sets ofgraduands for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in 2017, the first since the establishment of the university and above all, successful convocation in February 2017.

  • Plateau records peaceful polls

    The rescheduled presidential and national assembly election commenced and ended peacefully in all the 17 local governments of Plateau State yesterday.

    Electoral officials comprising INEC staff and ad-hoc staff were deployed to all the polling units throughout the state right from Friday evening alongside voting materials.

    Voting processes commenced at 8am in most voting centres as voters were already waiting for the electoral officials to set up their machine.

    There was strict compliance with electoral guidelines as voting ended on schedules and sorting of ballot papers commenced without interruption from anyone.

    Security agencies were present in most polling units visited in Jos city. Though some polling units witnessed malfunctioning of card readers machines, but INEC trained technicians were close by to rectify the faults.

    Only few polling units had initial delay due to late arrival of voting materials, the wasted time was made up as INEC announced additional time for such units.

    Some polling units ended their voting before 1am but had to wait till allotted time for counting of ballot papers.

  • Lassa fever: 10 killed, 28 new cases confirmed in Plateau – Commissioner

    Dr Kunden Deyin, the Plateau Commissioner for Health says the state has recorded 28 new cases of Lassa fever with 10 deaths.

    Deyin told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos on Thursday that 64 cases were taken to the laboratory for confirmation out of which 28 were confirmed to be Lassa fever.

    He said that one of the confirmed cases was imported from Kaduna State, adding that most of the affected persons are responding to treatments.

    He advised people to report immediately to the nearest health facility, whenever they had indications of any form of fever.

    “Lassa fever presents like any other fever, with symptoms such as headache, body pain and general feeling of being unwell.

    “Therefore, anyone who is feeling feverish should visit the hospital immediately.

    “Prompt presentation is the key to reducing the mortality rate associated with the disease, but most times, patients do come to the hospitals late.

    “However, all health workers should make referrals to other health facilities such as the tertiary health facilities, when you cannot handle such cases like Lassa fever that require prompt medical attention”.

    Deyin also advised that people should learn to keep their environment clean and ensure that it is not rodent friendly.

    He equally advised the residents to store all grains in rodent-proof containers.

  • NGO to complement FG effort on peace building

    The Working Group on Women, Youth, Peace and Security in West Africa and the Sahel (WGWYPS-WAS) is set to commence its peace building campaign in some states in Nigeria.

    Mrs Bridget Affiah, Co-state representative of WGWYPS-WAS NG in Delta, said this on Tuesday during the official inauguration of the #Workingroupng4peace Campaign in Warri.

    Affiah said the campaign would be conducted in 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that the objective of the NGO was to propagate peace, particularly in  violence prone states.

    She listed the states to include; Abia, Benue, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Gombe and Kaduna,.

    She said the others were Kano, Lagos, Kogi, Osun, Rivers, Plateau, Yobe and the FCT.

    According to her, the campaign was to further ensure increased awareness on the need to reduce violence especially against the vulnerable populations like the youth, women, children and the physically challenged persons.

    “WGWYPS-WAS was set up in April 2009 with the support of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) across 15 West African Countries and the Sahel.

    “WGWYPS-WAS NG with the hash tag, #workingroupng4peace was inaugurated in  December 2016 in Nigeria.

    “It is an all inclusive platform for experience sharing, analysis and participatory evaluation within the West African Region and the Sahel.

    ” It is also for the promotion and implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and related ones on women and youth participation, conflict prevention mechanism and peace building,”she said.

    Affiah said the group recognised states where violence, hate speeches, conflicts and insecurity were prevalent, adding that there could be no meaningful development in a conflict situation.

    “We will try and see what we can do to achieve sustainable peace for sustainable development.

    ” We are going to be working with the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in Delta,” she said.

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    Another Co-state representative, Mrs Rachael Ruppee, said other objectives of the NGO was to strengthen the capacity of members and bring skills together to achieve good result.

    “The aim is also to enhance information and knowledge sharing in peace, conflict and violence resolutions,” she said.

    One of the guests, Dr Agboro Andrew, said that peace and security was the collective responsibility of everyone.

    “There are a lot of issues right now in Delta, post political issues, cult issues and without peace the communities will be under developed.

    “A lot of companies are leaving the state as a result of issues related to conflict,” he said.

  • Atiku’s candidature, a blessing to Nigeria, says Jerry Useni

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Plateau, Rtd. Gen. Jerry Useni, says that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential candidature is a blessing to Nigeria.

    Useni spoke through his running mate, Dr James Dalok, on Sunday before group of PDP supporters in Ketang, Mango Local Government of Plateau.

    The PDP flag bearer said that the pedigree of Atiku was beyond human understanding and very capable of rescuing Nigerians from the hardship the All Progressives Congress (APC) had brought upon them.

    ”Atiku has what it takes to rescue Nigeria and Nigerians from the socioeconomic mess this present administration brought upon them.

    ”I wish to assure you that the long abandoned Panyam-Bokkos-Wamba Road and Gindiri Regional Water Plant will be completed if Atiku and himself as governor of Plateau,” he said.

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    Useni called on the people to vote wisely in the forthcoming elections to ensure that Atiku was voted into power.

    He assured the people of the state of better and appealing people oriented policies and programs.

    Also speaking, Mr Caleb Mutfwang, former Chairman, Mango LG appealed to party supporters in the council to vote massively for Atiku and Useni.

    ”We won’t disappoint our own son, Dalok, Useni’s running mate but give our bloc votes to them to lead us to the promise land,” he said. (NAN)

  • Lassa Fever: eight persons killed, 40 cases recorded in Plateau

    Plateau State Commissioner for health, Dr Kuden Kamshak, has confirmed eight persons killed by Lassa Fever, with 40 cases recorded across the state so far.

    Kamshak made the disclosure on Thursday, during the Agenda for Social Behavioural Communication Committee (SBCC), Review Meeting, held in Jos.

    He described the situation as “worrisome”, and declared that government was working round the clock to curb the spread of the disease.

    The commissioner, who was represented by Mr Michael Pam, Director of the ministry’s Public Health Department, said that health officers had been deployed o various areas to curtail the situation so as to save lives.

    He warned members of the public against the danger of rodents, and cautioned against “indiscriminate handshakes”.

    Earlier, Hajia January Bello, Risk Communicator, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), had said that Lassa Fever was as deadly as Ebola.

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    “Lassa Fever is as deadly as Ebola. It is very devastating,” he said.

    She advised members of the public to inculcate the habit of personal and environmental hygiene to ward off contact with the disease.

    The risk communicator said that there were only four Lassa laboratory centres in Nigeria, while only two hospitals – Bingham University Teaching Hospital and Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) – treat the disease.

    According to her, the laboratory centres are located in Edo, Lagos and Kaduna States, and the FCT Abuja. (NAN)