The Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the results of last Wednesday’s local government election, accusing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of compromising the electoral process to favor its candidates.
At a press briefing in Jos on Saturday, APC Chairman Hon. Rufus Bature, alongside some APC chairmanship candidates, expressed disappointment with the conduct of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), which had earlier promised a free and fair election. Bature described the October 9 election as a sham, calling it the worst in Plateau State’s history.
The APC voiced serious concerns over the election process in all 17 local government areas, calling October 9, 2024, an “ill-fated” day when the people of Plateau State were denied the opportunity to choose their leaders through the ballot box. According to the party, PLASIEC, in collaboration with the PDP-led government, manipulated the election, depriving voters—especially in APC strongholds—of electoral materials and delaying the arrival of voting supplies in several locations.
Bature noted, “From the onset, when the Plateau State government introduced an executive bill to amend the PLASIEC law, the APC and other discerning minds sensed the PDP-led government’s intent to compromise the electoral process.” He further criticized the attempt to allow election results to be announced at the PLASIEC headquarters in Jos, instead of at polling units, wards, or local government council headquarters, a provision which was eventually removed by the Plateau State House of Assembly.
The APC also pointed out that the PDP’s internal primaries were marred by violence, further raising doubts about the party’s ability to conduct credible elections. “The PDP primaries were marked by bloodshed, kidnappings, and imposition of candidates, with several cases still pending in court,” Bature added.
The APC revealed that two of its supporters were killed, and others injured, while trying to protect their votes during the election. The party is now pursuing all legal avenues to reclaim what it calls its stolen mandate and is compiling data to present its case at the election tribunal.
Bature urged APC supporters to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands as the party seeks justice through the courts.
