by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Tensions have mounted in the Plateau Northern Senatorial Zone ahead of Saturday re-run election, as there are rumours of exclusion of the PDP from the Saturday 3rd February 2024.
The youths said that they had gathered to warn INEC not to attempt to exclude any political party, especially the PDP from the Saturday 3rd February Rerun.
The youths in Plateau State on Wednesday, 31st January, 2024, stormed the Plateau State Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Miango Road, Jos, demanding evidence of the inclusion of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the Saturday 3rd February 2024 National Assembly rerun elections for Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, November 2023.
Recalling that, the Court of Appeal had nullified the election of PDP’s Sen. Simon Mwadkwon and Hon Musa Agah Avaih of Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, representatively, and ordered for a rerun.
Both lawmakers were declared winners of the February 2023 National Assembly Elections for Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, but a petition filed by LP’s Plateau North Senatorial Candidates, Gyang Zi, and PRP’s Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency Candidate, Mohammad Adam Alkali, succeeded at the Court of Appeal, which ordered a rerun.
In compliance with the Court of Appeal’s decision, INEC announced February 3rd 2024 as the date for the rerun.
Our correspondent reports that, however, youths comprising of PDP members and other non-partisan young people stormed the INEC Office over a rumoured exclusion of some political parties.
Speaking to INEC officials, who received protesters at the INEC Office, Director Youth Campaign of the People’s Democratic Party, Comrade Joshua Hitler Pwajok said that they had gathered to warn INEC not to attempt to exclude any political party, especially the PDP from the Saturday 3rd February Rerun.
“We are just here to inquire from the Resident Electoral Commissioner, if there is something as such, it needs to be addressed, else on Saturday we cannot guarantee what the situation will be like; so, in order to avert an eminent danger, it is better we proffer solution to the matter,” he noted.
He added that the Court of Appeal had said that “All parties herein shall participate;” hence the PDP should be on the ballot, noting that the Supreme Court had already validated the issue of structure of the PDP in Plateau State, same structure issue that was used to order for the rerun.
He urged INEC to consider the fragile peace on the Plateau and not plunge the state into another crisis, given that Plateau North Senatorial District was the stronghold of the PDP, and that the PDP Senatorial Candidate had already won with over 100,000 votes, and those voters won’t just fold their arms, if the PDP and her candidates are denied participation.
Also, Comrade James Nyango added that the judgment of the Appeal Court did not exclude any political party, stressing that INEC is not a court; hence they should comply with what the Appeal Court has said as well as the Supreme Court.
Also corroborating this position on behalf of nonpartisan youths, who joined the protest, Chairman of the Plateau State Youth Council, Jos South LGA and the Chairman of the Forum of PYC LGA Chairmen of Plateau North, Dalyop D. Dung, said that as the Youth Chairman, irrespective of political parties, all political parties should be allowed to participate, in the interest of peace.
He noted that, there is insecurity in parts of the State and, given the current tension in the State, excluding any political party will be dangerous. “Anyone that the people want him in Northern Zone, let the people go and vote for him,” he stated.
Comrade Dalyop D. Dung, while addressing INEC Staff over the protest, quoted a Youth Activist, Comrade Prince Miaphen, as saying that, “The commission should know that, if the PDP is not on the ballot, there is eminent danger, saying that it should be on record that Plateau youths came to complain about the rumour ahead of time.”
In responding on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Deputy Director Administration and Head of General Administration of INEC in Plateau State, Bisi Ajala, said that INEC remains neutral and the complaints will be escalated to the Headquarters for further advice.
Also commenting on the issue, the Deputy Director Legal, and Head of Legal, Elekwa Onyema Uche, said that INEC in Jos was in receipt of a Letter of Caution from the Police regarding the same issue, and they had informed the Police that, going by the law, particularly third schedule of the Constitution, Paragraphs 14 & 15, it is the INEC Headquarters in Abuja that is the Commission and the states take directives from the Commission’s Headquarters, in line with Paragraph 15 (X).
He said that, they will inform the Headquarters on the process and Interpretations from the Legal Department from the INEC Headquarters and that, within the next 48 hours, the matter will be laid to rest.
Some journalist went to INEC to confirm the issue, and the HOD-VEP told them that they should all be at CBN Jos Branch, on Thursday by 8.30am for an inspection of Sensitive Election materials for court-ordered re-run election for the Jos North Senatorial District and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency.