Youth Activist, Advocate for Good Governance and Quality Leadership, Mr. Dachung Musa Bagos and three (3) others yesterday 6th February, 2018 jointly served a notice to Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) to reverse its earlier decision postponing the Local government elections earlier scheduled for 17th February, 2018 till further notice.

They said following Supreme Court and other Courts’ rulings, democratically elected officials are to be in-charged of the Local Government administration not the illegal and unconstitutional transition committee which the State has been using to deny people at the grassroots dividends of democracy, rural transformation and positive developments in all ramifications.

They said they will jointly take legal action against PLASIEC if there is no reversal of the postponement within 24 hours of the receipt of their notice.

When contacted to speak on the issue at hand, Mr. Dachung Bagos said it is sad, disheartening and unacceptable how elections are not being conducted to have democratically elected officers to run affairs of the third-tier of government in Plateau State. This has greatly affected developments at the local government level as the transition committee are not accountable to the people but the person that appointed them. This has negatively affected socioeconomic and human capital development at the grassroots.

The Constitution spelt out how the local government should be administered and that is clear and simple he added.

Bagos said they are jointly calling on PLASIEC to have a rethink and reverse its decision postponing the local government elections. Failure to do so will be greeted with outright rejection and legal actions against the electoral umpire.

We will not fold our arms and watch illegality thriving under our democracy which is greatly affecting our democratic growth and development he opined.

We have served them a notice and waiting for their response.

The Plateau State Government has pride itself of restoring peace in the State, we therefore wonder why the elections were postponed for flimsy reasons which doesn’t hold water.

The local governments should have democratically elected representatives as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not the illegal and constitutional caretaker committee being used at that level of government to deny people developments he concluded.

It will be recalled that PLASIEC through its Boss, Hon. Fabian Ntung on Monday 5th February, 2018 made a press release on the postponement of the elections which scheduled to hold on 17th February, 2017 due to security reasons as contained in the press text below:

“5th February, 2018.

NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT OF THE 17TH FEBRUARY, 2018 LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN PLATEAU STATE.

I write to inform you that the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) is in receipt of a communication from the Plateau State Security Council stating that the present security atmosphere in the State generally, is not conducive for the conduct of the forthcoming Local Government Council Election which is scheduled for Saturday 17th February​, 2018.

2. Accordingly, it has advised that the election be postponed pending the return to a conducive atmosphere for the conduct of the election.

3. In line with the foregoing advice, the Commission wishes to formally inform you and your teeming Party members and supporters in the State, that the Local Government Council Elections in the State which was earlier scheduled for Saturday 17th February, 2018 is hereby postponed until further notice.

4. For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to stress that the Commission, before this development, had been well prepared and fully mobilized towards the conduct of this election on the earlier scheduled date.

5. I however wish to assure you that as soon as the Commission is gain advised on the conducive nature of the Security atmosphere in the State, a new date for the elections will will be announced and communicated to your Party accordingly.

6. While extending to you the assurance of my warmest regards, the Commission sincerely regrets any inconveniences this postponement might caused your Party and supporters, please.

FABIAN NTUNG.
Chairman.”

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Mr. Dachung Bagos, Some Candidates for Local Government Seats Put PLASIEC on Notice to Rescind Postponement of Polls