LG polls: Tension as Plateau PDP raises alarm over plans to exclude party

By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos

The Plateau state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, ( PDP), has raised an alarm over a grand plan by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission to exclude the party from participating in the October 9th, Local Government election.

The secretary of the Plateau state PDP caretaker committee, Hon. Patrick Ogbu disclosed this to reporters, in Jos.

He expressed disgust over such a move by PLASIEC to deprive the party of unsubstantiated reasons but vowed to resist any attempt to hinder the party.

Ogbu maintained that the Caretaker Committee was drafted to the state following a court judgment that ordered fresh State Congress to elect officers of the party and on resumption, the committee invited PLASIEC to participate in their upcoming local government party primaries but didn’t show up.

“Based on the election guidelines and timetable released by PLASIEC, our great party in line with extent laws wrote to notify PLASIEC of our activities towards the conduct of ward and local government congresses/ primaries to elect candidates.

“PLASIEC responded to that letter and informed us that they will not supervise our party primaries, citing a court Judgment against an already dissolved State Party Exco and a judgement which was already complied with by the National Working Committee of our party.”

He explained that after the National Working Committee of the party wrote to introduce the Caretaker Committee to PLASIEC, the Committee requested for the 2021 election guidelines, the release of nomination forms for candidates and request for audience with PLASIEC Chairman, all the requests were turned down by PLASIEC.

“From the exchange of correspondence between the party and PLASIEC, it has emerged clearly that the Electoral empire has devised an agenda to unlawfully exclude PDP from the forthcoming elections.

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“Our primaries were peacefully and promptly organised within the timetable and guidelines released by PLASIEC. Curiously, PLASIEC refused to issue nomination forms to our legitimate and duly elected candidates.”

Ogbu further explained that PLASIEC wasn’t a party to the case that gave rise to the said Court order, adding that there is no order or injunction from court restraining PLASIEC from releasing nomination forms for candidates.

Reacting, the Commissioner Electoral Operation, PLASIEC, Hon. Patrick Mamgin, who stood in for the chairman of the commission, Mr Fabian Ari, said that they are constraints to deal with PDP following the Court Judgement that set aside the party’s state Exco.

He explained that, “Election is a process and there are laws and guidelines that go along with election. With this, we are constraints by this court Judgement to deal with the PDP or the Caretaker Committee.

“There were series of letters from the PDP informing us that there was a caretaker Committee set up by the National Working Committee.”

He noted that the PDP judgement has not been vacated from the Court and that the faction of the party wrote a petition which was submitted to them with the judgement, warning PLASIEC not to deal with the PDP in the state.

The Secretary of PLASIEC, Barr. Ishaku Bachiri, on his part, said the Commission will carry out its function within the ambits of the law and that no individual or group of persons will compel them to do otherwise.