FRIVOLOUS CANCELLATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS AND THE PERPETUATION OF UNELECTED AND UNDEMOCRATIC LOCAL COUNCILS IN PLATEAU STATE

The unfortunate indefinite postponement of the much anticipated Local Government election by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) is a sad reminder of the steady decline and erosion of democratic values, principles and practices in present day Nigeria and Plateau State in particular.

While we share and respect government’s efforts at safeguarding lives and property of citizens through security and peace building mechanisms, we are nonetheless perturbed at the seeming exploitation of security reasons to justify the premeditated postponement of the February 17th Local Government elections in the State. This is partly because of the inherent contradictions in government’s position on the restoration of peace in the state. It is curious that a government that has openly and consistently taunted the relative peace in the state as a major area of its success, making a suspicious and dubious claim of insecurity when it comes to delivering on its promise of restoring democratic government at the local government level, which it illegally dissolved in a manner, reminiscent of military dictatorships, is uncharitable, reckless and self serving to say the least.

The surest way to guarantee security is through popular participation in the governance process to give room for the people to elect leaders of their choice.

It is also a sad commentary of development that agencies that are working round the clock and tirelessly to provide a secure atmosphere for the peaceful conduct of elections have been dragged into the mucky waters of selfish political interest. The purported advice that a constitutionally sanctioned election should be put off rather than bracing up to ensure it is conducted in an atmosphere of peace is no doubt a grave indictment on the state government as this runs counter to the peaceful atmosphere that has characterized electioneering campaigns by political parties across the state as they step up preparations for the now postponed LG elections. We therefore wonder what adverse security report or eminent threat the state faces if the elections hold on the earlier schedule date to have warranted this rather drastic and undemocratic measure that seemingly forecloses any future hope of having democratically elected councils anytime before the expiration of the four year term of the present administration.

In retrospect, we find the highly militarized response the government took in respond to Mr. Dachung Musa Bagos’s publicized intention to seek answers from PLASIEC over the electoral umpire’s readiness to conduct the February 17th LG elections in view of obvious lapses which were certainly going to mare the conduct of the election, very worrisome. Suffice it to say that PLASIEC and the Plateau Sate government had no intentions whatsoever to conduct the elections and have worked hard to circumvent the entire process by putting in place needless obstacles like the non display of voters register within the constitutionally stipulated timeframe, the lack of recruitment of ad hoc staff for the election let alone training them, complete absence of voter education and mobilization by PLASIEC or even the state ministry of information amongst several other deliberate lapses. These were rightly observed by many as signs of the state government’s desire not to conduct the elections which will enthrone democratic governance at the grassroots level in the state.

As we all know our reluctance to challenge the dubious and deliberate hoisting of undemocratic representatives at the Local Government councils will only serve to embolden government to dig deeper and continue to perpetuate illegality on the people and deny them the right to freely choice their leaders as guaranteed by the constitution. A situation where political parties and their candidates have expended huge resources in canvassing and mobilizing support only to be met with government’s duplicitous postponement of elections should not be allowed to hold sway whatsoever. Government most be weary of turning itself into a conflict entrepreneur through the self serving actions of its officials and the Governor will do well to remember his oath of office where he swore before men and God to do right to all manner of persons according to the law, without fear or favour, affection or ill will and not to allow his personal interest influence his official conduct or official decision.

In view of the above therefore, the governor, and of course, all other public officials have a duty to respect the rule of law by implementing and upholding the Supreme Court judgement on the unconstitutionality of dissolving elected councils across the country and the need to, at all times, have only elected representatives, freely chosen by the people through regular and timely elections.

As stakeholders in the Plateau project and a concerned youth group interested in deepening our democracy so as to guarantee speedy development in the state, we wish to condemn in very strong terms, the recent announcement by PLASIEC postponing the February 17th Local government election. We view this action as tantamount to robbing the people and denying them their inalienable right to choose for themselves, those that will govern them. We therefore call on PLASIEC to reconsider its decision and conduct the election as planned. Security agencies should in this regards be alive to their responsibilities and ensure they adequately mobilize to secure and guarantee a peaceful conduct of the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

God bless Plateau State

Danja, Dafwam Yaks
For: Plateau Youth G17 Peace and Progressive Forum

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FRIVOLOUS CANCELLATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS AND THE PERPETUATION OF UNELECTED AND UNDEMOCRATIC LOCAL COUNCILS IN PLATEAU STATE