Much ado about Plateau LG polls
In September, the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) declared February 17, 2018 as the date for the much anticipated event in the state. PLASIEC Chairman, Mr Fabian Ntung slated run-off or re-run for February 24, 2018, in case of any. The date for the election has been long-awaited under the administration of Governor Simon […]
In September, the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) declared February 17, 2018 as the date for the much anticipated event in the state. PLASIEC Chairman, Mr Fabian Ntung slated run-off or re-run for February 24, 2018, in case of any. The date for the election has been long-awaited under the administration of Governor Simon Lalong, adding that the Governor is appointing Local Government Caretaker Committee for the second time in less than three years.
Now that the Local Government election is scheduled for next February, fingers of spectators are crossed to see the result of the elections. From all indications, the Politics of the state has taken a new dimension. Not just the APC and the PDP but all parties are going to be well-represented in all the seventeen local governments of the state. Although the major contenders are from the ruling APC and opposition PDP.
The APC must be very cautious as the upcoming LG election in the state is a yardstick that is going to forecast the victory of the ruling party in 2019 general elections. The APC needs to restrategize against the upcoming elections, being that Governor Lalong’s APC-led administration’s failure to fulfill myriads of its campaign promises, especially the 52,000 minimum wage that impelled most civil servants in the state to vote for him. Another minus counting against the Governor is the abandoned projects in the state. Succinctly, if I am compelled to assess the APC administration in the last three years on a scorecard I will conclude that there is nothing to write home about. Before we commended the Lalong administration for restoring peace in the state but with the recent attacks on Jol community in Riyom LGA and Taegbe, Ancha, Nkyie-Dagwhro villages of Bassa LGA pose a political threat to the ruling party come February 17.
Though the opposition PDP remains optimistic in the upcoming elections, some electorates are of the motion that neither APC nor PDP can deliver but other parties that were never tested before. Others are of the view that personality politics is the only option. Voting candidates base on their performance in previous assignments, thereby eschewing party politics. This is a good omen for the politics of the state because it is only through this good people would be saddled with the responsibility of governing people the way it ought to be done.
With this development, it is left for the political parties to go for candidates that are servants of the masses, since party politics never seems to be a priority in the February 2018 LG election. The herculean task before political parties is to screen aspirants in other to have the right candidates in place. Delegates must get the right candidate if they are really serious in winning the elections.
Come 2018, all that has been the status quo in most states during LG elections in Nigeria where the ruling party sweeps all the local governments like in the case of Kano under Governor Kwankwaso, Jigawa under Governor Badaru and Yobe earlier this year cannot happen in Plateau State. In a situation where such may happen it cannot be justifiable owing to the style democracy is now taking in the state.
Mahdi Garba, Jos, Plateau State.