Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has fixed October 9, 2024, for local government elections.
The commission’s chairman, Plangji Cishak, revealed this yesterday during a meeting with political party leaders at the agency’s headquarters in Jos, the state capital.
He said the council poll would be conducted across the 17 local government areas of the state, which are currently under the management of the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) chairmen.
The chairman, who recalled his earlier engagements with the party stakeholders, said, “Today, we are going to engage you in one of the most critical activities that we have been empowered as a commission to do: managing elections. We are very critical to issue the notice of election for 2024 at this juncture”.
“Under Section 64 of the Local Government Elections Act, as part of our mandate and in compliance with Part 4, section 16, subsection 1 and 22, subsection 1 of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) Law, 2016, and section 197 (1 and 2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended in 2023, and the Electoral Act 2022.
“The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission wishes to notify the leadership of all political parties and the general public that elections shall be conducted in the 17 local government councils of Plateau State on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
“Consequently, all prospective candidates are expected to obtain nomination forms in respect of the election into the offices of chairmen and councillors of the 17 local government councils from PLASIEC headquarters at Number 7, John Mark Sanchiro, Jos, from Thursday, August 1, 2024, to Monday, August 5, 2024, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.”
According to the chairman, political party campaign activities shall commence on Friday, July 12, 2024, as determined by the commission under the Electoral Act, while party primaries and dispute resolution will take place between July 29, 2024, and August 8, 2024, as determined by the commission.
He added, “The Collection of nomination forms for candidates by political parties will be from Friday, August 9, 2024, to Tuesday, August 13, 2024.
“Submission of nomination forms for candidates by political parties is Wednesday, August 14, 2024, to Monday, August 19, 2024.
“The last day for campaigns by political parties is Monday, October 7, 2024, until midnight, and run-off/supplementary election, if any, is Saturday, October 12, 2024,” he said.
He called on the political parties and stakeholders to support and cooperate with PLASIEC to “organise, undertake, and supervise a free, fair, credible, and transparent local government council election in Plateau.