Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has commended the conduct of the October 9 council poll, describing the exercise as peaceful and well-coordinated. He gave the commendation, yesterday, after casting his vote at his Pushik 1 polling unit in Ampang West, Mangu Local Council at about 9:15 a.m.

The governor lauded the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) for ensuring a seamless electoral process towards a free, fair, and credible election. He said: “The exercise has commenced in earnest. As I drove from Jos through Barkin-Ladi to Mangu, I observed enthusiastic voters heading to their polling units to cast their votes.”

Mutfwang reassured the public that their votes would count, expressing satisfaction with the efficiency of the process. I’m pleased to have cast my vote. The process is smooth and much faster than the BVAS machines used in the general elections,” he remarked.

The governor also expressed confidence that the large turnout of voters would be swiftly managed, given that accreditation and voting were proceeding simultaneously without hitches.

He emphasised the need for electoral systems to continually evolve, stating: “The smoothness of this election has taught me that we must remain adaptable regarding technological platforms for elections. Accreditation is critical to the integrity of any election. Once it is done seamlessly, and people are confident that their votes will count, our electoral process will continue to grow with integrity.”

HOWEVER, Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) Vanguard, Farmasum Fuddang, confirmed loss of three community members on Monday, exactly two days to commencement of the council poll.

“We in Bokkos Local Government are grappling with the tragic loss of three cherished community members. On Monday, October 7, just two days before our scheduled elections, these individuals fell victim to a brutal attack.

“The assault was carried out in Wumat, a Christian community with a small population of approximately 300 to 500 residents. This horrifying event took place just weeks after intelligence reports indicated a heightened risk of violence in the area due to the influx of individuals suspected to be Fulani terrorists crossing from the borders of Plateau and Nasarawa states,” he was quoted to have said.

According to him, “under the cover of night, as families in Wumat were settling in for the evening, armed assailants speaking the Fulani dialect infiltrated the town through nearby cornfields. At 8:49 p.m., they launched a terrifying assault, breaking into homes and firing indiscriminately for several minutes.

“By the time help arrived, three members of a single family were found dead: Mr Istifanus Mallo (the father), Mr Innocent Istifanus Mallo (the son), and Lois Istifanus Mallo (the daughter). Additionally, four others sustained serious injuries, including a heavily pregnant woman who was shot in the abdomen. Miraculously, she survived but her unborn child did not.

“This attack in Wumat, situated in the Tarangol district, comes on the heels of unfounded accusations from Fulani leaders who alleged that our community members forcibly evicted their members in Tarangol.”