By PALANG KASMI
Some stakeholders have rated the conduct of Saturday’s Plateau North Senatorial and Jos North /Bassa Federal Constituency elections, held across 6 Local Governments of the state high.
Our correspondent observed that the re-run elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on February 3, 2024 was generally peaceful, with tight security at checkpoints to ensure adherence to restriction of movements. However, it was observed that while there was massive voter turn out in some areas, voter apathy marred participation in some polling units. There was also the absence of security in some of the polling units visited.
One of the stakeholders, Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Hon. Peter Gai, who cast his vote at Kabong Central 1, Polling Unit 032, Jos North LGA, said despite lack of security agencies at the polling unit, the arrangement by INEC is good and the people were conducting themselves in an orderly manner.
At his polling unit, the voter turn out was impressive.
“As you can see, the people are eager to exercise their democratic rights. They are peaceful and it is commendable”, he said.
At Jos South Local Government Area, the Transition Implementation Committee Chairman (TIC) Chairman, Vwang Dung Gyang, who voted at Darangi 1, Unit 11, Chugwi, Vom, at 11:52 am, said though his party was excluded from the elections, he was happy to participate and vote.
He described the voter turnout in his polling unit as peaceful and quite impressive. “The people are law abiding citizens so they came out to vote, tax payers money must not be wasted”., he added.
On his part, the Director of Press to the Plateau State Governor, Mr. Gyang Bere who cast his vote at 12: 14pm at his Polling Unit, Dandyes, EC 30 A, Vwang, Chugwi, Jos South LGA, said as early as 8am, voters started queuing to cast their votes. He said voters at his polling unit were conducting themselves peacefully as they exercised their franchise.
On his part, Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Davou Jatau Gyang, while describing the entire process, said although people of Plateau North are traumatised with the exclusion of his party, the PDP from the ballot sheet, but nonetheless, the people have found a suitable option in the ADP party’s candidate and are now trooping out to vote.
He appealed to voters to come out en-masse to vote to prevent a situation where they lose out completely from making a choice or participating.
At the Hill Station Junction 2 Polling Unit, 023, Jenta Adamu located at the NUJ Office, there was voter apathy. Out of 123 registered voters, INEC officials told newsmen that only 25 of them came out to vote as at 2:30pm.
They were seen waiting for more voters to turn out to exercise their franchise.
Also at many polling units in Jos North and Jos South LGAs, there was the presence of INEC officials with few electorate participating in the process.
