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Opposition kicks as Plateau postpones council poll

By Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi (Jos) and Msugh Ityokura (Abuja)
06 February 2018   |   4:20 am
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday kicked against the postponement of council poll in Plateau State.

• Labour Party wants INEC to replace chairman
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday kicked against the postponement of council poll in Plateau State.

The Chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), Fabian Ntung, had announced the postponement of the election.

He said the postponement was necessitated by security challenges.

According to him: “We received communication from the security operatives that the prevailing atmosphere in the state could not guarantee a peaceful election.

“We were advised to postpone the date of the election. Before now, we were very prepared to conduct the poll, which was slated for February 17, 2019.”

He added that the commission had made materials available for the election before the security report came.

The chairman urged the general public, particularly stakeholders in the political process to take note of the postponement.

He urged all concerned to remain calm, as the commission sincerely regrets any inconveniences that the postponement might have caused them.

But the PDP accused the PLASIEC of circumventing the process of free and fair polls.
The state PDP Chairman, Damishi Sango said: “We challenge Governor Solomon Lalong to tell the public when it would be convenient to conduct the poll.

He expressed concern that Lalong is yet to sign the local government bill into law, even though it was passed about six months ago.

He dismissed the claim of insecurity, adding that elections were conducted during the time of former Governor Jonah Jang, despite the then precarious challenges.

He alleged: “A secret recruitment of ad hoc staff by the APC to achieve the purpose of rigging and outright declaration of APC candidates, whether or not they win the elections”

But the APC Chairman, Latep Dabang, said that there was no plan whatsoever to play political pranks in the election.

Dabang said the APC is sure of a landslide victory, adding that the PDP’s rigging insinuation is mere figment of its futile imagination.

In a related development, The Youth Vanguard of the Labour Party (LP) yesterday urged the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace its former chairman, A.A Salam, with Dr. Mike Omotosho.

A statement by Abdulahi Ahmed alleged anti-party activities and fraud against Salam.

The members, who protested at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, said it is misleading for the commission to remove the chairman’s name from the commission’s website.

Ahmed added that it is the responsibility of the political parties to determine their officers and communicate to the electoral umpire.

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