Plateau State Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), Honourable Plangji Cishak, said the commission is fully prepared for Wednesday’s local government elections in the state.

Addressing a world press conference on Tuesday in Jos, Cishak said that about 300 observers had indicated their keen interest in the elections and have been accredited.

He also announced that 21,000 adhoc staff had been recruited and trained for the exercise, appreciating the state government, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and all stakeholders, saying that there is no going back as the commission has put everything in place.

According to the PLASIEC boss, there are 4,949 polling units across the 17 local governments of the state, reiterating that 11 political parties are actively participating in the elections.

Also, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Adesina, has assured citizens of the preparedness of the Command towards ensuring a peaceful conduct of the local government elections.

In order to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful atmosphere for the elections, Adesina has already designed and come up with an effective election security template suitable for guaranteeing a hitch-free process in the polls.

He said that he and his management team have painstakingly carried out “pre and post-election threat evaluations” and have commenced the deployment of personnel to flash points and vulnerable areas to nip in the bud whatever could pose any threat to the smooth conduct of elections in the 17 local government areas of the state.

The commissioner told journalists and stakeholders that the Command has concluded all arrangements and is ready for the elections.

He said, “I wish to warn mischief-makers, whose perception of democracy is the application of violence, to have a rethink as the law enforcement under my watch is committed to dealing with such characters within the dictates of the law.”

Adesina advised political actors and their supporters to avoid actions or speeches that could inflame the political atmosphere, urging them to cooperate with the police and other security agencies to guarantee a peaceful election process.

He also advised religious leaders meddling in the election processes through unguarded utterances to desist from such.

The police boss pointed out that quasi-security outfits or help groups, such as the Neighbourhood Watch, Vigilante, and so on, are not part of the election security arrangements, advising them to steer clear of the election venues, cast their votes at their respective polling units, and leave.

To ensure the safety and security of the election process, vehicular movements within the 17 local government councils have been restricted from 12:00 midnight Tuesday to 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 9, 2024.

He exhorted all residents of the state to go out and exercise their franchise without fear of molestation or intimidation, adding that they should conduct themselves peacefully throughout the election process.

Adesina assured all electoral observers, both national and international, of their safety, but advised them to carry along the appropriate identification tags issued by PLASIEC.

Noting and acknowledging the pivotal role played by members of the media, he said that they are partners in progress who must ensure peace through unbiased reportage of the events as they unfold.

To parents, guardians, traditional and religious leaders, the youths, and the general public, he implored them to monitor and prevail on their children, wards, and subjects to be law-abiding, adding that they should resist the urge or temptation to be used to cause disturbance of public peace and violation of law and order during the election period.

Meanwhile, Governor Caleb Mutfwang declared Tuesday a half-working day to enable public servants to travel to their respective local government areas to participate in Wednesday’s elections.

Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS), Arc. Samuel Jatau, who stated this in a statement, also added that the governor has declared Wednesday, the day of the elections, a work-free day.

While appealing to citizens for a peaceful conduct of the elections, Mutfwang further enjoined all registered voters to come out en masse to exercise their civic responsibility at the polls.