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Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), on Saturday, conducted the long-awaited local government election in the 17 LGAs of the state.
The election witnessed the participation of several political parties, except the Peoples Democratic Party PDP which was barred by PLASIEC from participating in the elections.
Our reporter, who visited some wards on Saturday, learnt that the elections started at the right time by 8 am and witnessed large turnout in rural communities and then partial low turnout of the electorate in some areas in the Northern Senatorial zone.
In a swift reaction, the Governor of Plateau state Simon Lalong who spoke to newsmen in Ajikamai Polling unit in Shendam Local Government of the state praised the electorate for their peaceful conduct and large turn out to elect their Chairmen and Councillors in the ongoing Local Government elections holding throughout the 17 Local Government Areas on the 9th October 2021.
The Governor who voted alongside his wife, First Regina Lalong and other close family members at about 10:30 am, said he was impressed with the turnout and enthusiasm in his ward and the encouraging reports from various parts of the State which equally indicated a peaceful exercise and the readiness of voters to choose their leaders.
He said going by the fact that PLASIEC had assured all political parties, candidates and the entire electorate of their readiness for the exercise having planned over a long period and engaged all stakeholders, there is no cause for alarm.
Asked if he was apprehensive of the elections not holding due to the court case instituted by the PDP at the Court of Appeal Jos seeking an injunction to stop the elections, which went deep into the night before the scheduled date, the Governor said:
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“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”.
On the significance of the elections and the security arrangements put in place, the Governor said the transition from one Local Government Administration to another is a thing that many people of Plateau have yearned for the which by the grace of God is happening without any challenges.
He said though there were security concerns, the Government took all necessary measures to ensure that this election come and go smoothly without any hindrance and has charged security agencies to deploy their personnel all over the State.
The Governor also urged all citizens to ignore rumours and fake news being pedalled about the elections as all parties and their supporters were given equal opportunity to participate in the process leading to today.
He assured the State that the will of the people expressed through the ballot box will be allowed to prevail as PLASIEC has given all assurances of fairness, justice and adherence to the rules of the game
