October 9 is Plateau's LG election day

October 9, 2024 has been set aside by Plateau State to hold local government elections.

At a meeting with political party leaders that was taking place at the commission’s headquarters in Jos, the state capital, on Wednesday, Plangji Cishak, the chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission, revealed this information.

According to Plangji, the council poll will take place in each of the state’s 17 local government districts, which are presently overseen by Transition Implementation Committee Chairmen.

The chairman, who recalled his series of 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: the management of elections. We are very critical to issue the notice of election for 2024 at this juncture.

“Under Section 64 of the Local Government Elections in Plateau, 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, 9 October 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, 1 August 2024 to Monday, 5 August 2024, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.”

He stated that political parties would begin their campaigning on Friday, July 12, 2024, as stipulated by the electoral act, and that party primaries and dispute resolution would be held between July 29, 2024, and August 8, 2024, as decided by the commission.

The chairman added, “Collection of Nomination Forms for Candidates by Political Parties will be from Friday, 9 August 2024 to Tuesday, 13 August 2024.

“Submission of Nomination Forms for Candidates by Political Parties is Wednesday, 14 August 2024 to Monday, 19 August 2024. See Section 23 of the PLASIEC Law 2016.

“Last Day for Campaigns by Political Parties is Monday, 7 October 2024, until 12 midnight, and Run-off/Supplementary Election, if any is Saturday, 12 October 2024.”

All political parties and interested parties were urged by the chairman to support PLASIEC in its efforts to plan, carry out, and oversee a free, fair, credible, and transparent local government council election in Plateau.