PLATEAU LGC ELECTIONS: BREAKING: 11 POLITICAL PARTIES TO CONTEST, 21,000 ADHOC STAFF TO BE DEPLOYED. PLASIEC CHAIRMAN, PLANGJI CISHAK, DISCLOSES. (READ UNEDITED PRESS TEST)

By: Our Reporter,

Address by Plangji Cishak, Chairman of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) during the press briefing with journalists across the state

Good Morning, Distinguished colleagues and gentlemen of the Press.

It is a pleasure to welcome you today as we approach a significant moment in Plateau State—our Local Government Elections scheduled for October 9, 2024. Since my team and I were sworn in on June 10, 2024, we have embraced the media as a crucial partner in our mission to establish democratic governance at the grassroots level. Over the past three months, we have engaged extensively with you, moving in and out of broadcast studios and maintaining an open-door policy for correspondents from the print media. Your commitment to updating the Plateau people and the world about our activities has been invaluable, and I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your professionalism and dedication.

CHAIRMAN PLANGJI, HON. KWANDE, AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS OF PLASIEC

As we build up to the October 9 elections, I want to reaffirm our solemn promise to the people of Plateau State: we are committed to conducting a free, fair, and credible election. This election is unique, as we have consistently adhered to our timelines—except for one postponement regarding Election Guidelines during the nationwide protests. This success is largely due to Governor Caleb Mutfwang's unwavering support. Let me place on record that the Governor has respected our operational independence.

I also want to take a moment to appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Plateau State. PLASIEC has leaned on their expertise in conducting elections. As many of you know, I was a staff member of INEC before my appointment. Their doors have always been open to me, providing invaluable advice and support. I am extremely grateful for this partnership, which demonstrates their interest in progressive development.

Furthermore, the extensive collaboration we have received from stakeholders at various levels—including traditional rulers, members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, elders, security agencies, youth and women’s groups, and election observers—has been instrumental in ensuring we remain faithful to our commitments. I want to express our deep appreciation to all interest groups and citizens who have contributed to this process. Other key organization such as the International Foundation for Electorial Systems (IFES), the Nigeria Medical Association, Plateau State Peace Building Agency, Plateau State ICT Development Agency (PICTDA), and YIAGA Africa among others have played significant roles that ensured our stability in the past three months. We are counting on their support as we press towards October 9.

In recognition of the critical role of entrenching democratic governance, PLASIEC is on course to establish an electoral institute. Such an institute is vital for creating a pool of resource persons for subsequent elections, enhancing our electoral processes and outcomes. Another important component of our desire to expand is the vision to create zonal stores across the three senatorial zones of the state to enhance efficiency in the distribution of election materials in the future. Additionally, PLASIEC is gearing up to build prototype offices across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state instead of allowing the Local Governments to rent on behalf of PLASIEC. This is a crucial step in our desire to bridge our gap with the rural communities in the state and build the people's confidence.

hile we remain committed to our futuristic goals, we are equally determined to maintain and improve the quality of facilities we meet on the ground. The ongoing renovation work at our headquarters at Johnmark Samchi Road demonstrates this commitment. Let me assure you that the aim is not mainly to make the facility more colorful. Our goal is to also enhance the security of the edifice and our staff.

CHAIRMAN PLANGJI, SEC. PAM DAVOU AND ANOTHER

Currently, we are vigorously pursuing our vision of staff capacity building to ensure that all personnel are up to date on electoral best practices. This includes a series of trainings facilitated by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). The functional ICT unit we have created has also been a tremendous boost to our staff's capacity development. As part of our preparations, we have invested significantly in training election officials across all 17 Local Government Areas, ensuring that only the most competent individuals have been selected to oversee the elections.

PLASIEC has established agreements with recognized election observers with international connections, granting them free access to all polling units. Their role is to monitor proceedings and assess the credibility of the election. I encourage citizens to view these observers as partners in the democratic process, helping to ensure that the leadership that emerges reflects the true wishes of the people.

Looking ahead, I am excited to announce that we are fully prepared for the upcoming elections. Our readiness was recently tested through successful mock elections held on September 28, 2024, across six selected Local Government Areas in the three senatorial zones: Wase, Shendam, Pankshin, Mangu, Riyom, and Jos North. In Wase, we utilized the Danbiram Ward and Wase Primary School as polling units; Shendam featured Pangwasa Ward and Naburuk; Pankshin included Dokpai Ward and Ngolong Ban; Mangu utilized Ampang West Ward and Pushit I; Riyom saw Shonong Ward and LWA Primary School; and Jos North had Angwan Rogo/Rimi Ward and Ungwan Rogo Primary School.

 This mock election was the first of its kind and witnessed a significant turnout of voters. The event followed standard electoral procedures, including the deployment of staff and materials, the setup of polling units, queuing, checking voter registers, and verifying voters through our newly developed technological initiative of our ICT team branded the Voter Verification System (VVS). The feedback from both officials and voters was overwhelmingly positive, confirming our preparedness to conduct credible elections. The VVS proved effective in verifying voter identities, ensuring a smooth process without significant delays.

I am proud to share that PLASIEC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with state tertiary institutions for the display of voter registers across the 4,989 polling units in the state. This is the first time in history that such a courageous step has been taken.

As we approach election-day, I want to highlight that yesterday 7th October marked the end of campaigns by all political parties at 12 midnight. Eleven political parties will be contesting in this election, and we anticipate their full participation in the democratic process.

On election-day, voting will commence at 8 AM on October 9. The procedure is as follows: the voter approaches the presiding officer with their PVC or VIN number, which will be either scanned or inputted into the device to verify if the voter owns the PVC or is registered in the polling unit. Once verified, the manual register is ticked, and the voter is presented with ballot papers to thumbprint and cast their vote in the appropriate ballot box.

Security remains a significant concern; the establishment and input of the Plateau Advisory Consultative Committee on Election Security (PLACCES) towards a secured election has been massive. This initiative is essential for ensuring the safety of citizens and election officials. In recent discussions with stakeholders, I echoed the sentiment of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who remarked that no ambition is worth the blood of anyone. This guiding philosophy should shape the conduct of all major interest groups before, during, and after the elections.

We have maintained open lines of communication with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), keeping them informed of our preparations. I want to stress that no political party has been outrightly disqualified from participating, and a level playing field has been created for all candidates of the 11 political parties in the contest to test their popularity.

As I stand here, I can confidently state that we are ready for the upcoming elections. A total of 21,000 ad hoc staff will be deployed for the election, ensuring that the process runs smoothly. Sensitive election materials are secured, and logistics arrangements for their distribution are complete. Every indication points toward a credible process. PLASIEC is matching into the election as one of the 6 model State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) selected to pilot key electorIal reforms in the sector and we are poised to maintain this pedigree and surpass expectations, with the support of all stakeholders and citizens.

I urge you, members of the press, to uphold the professionalism you have demonstrated thus far. Avoid sensationalism; verify your facts with our officials. Focus on  your role, and leave the announcement of final results to PLASIEC. I look forward to your vibrant reports during the election.

May the Almighty bless Plateau State and keep us united as we embark on this journey toward a prosperous future after the elections.

E Signed

Plangji Daniel Cishak

Chairman, PLASIEC