The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau has accused the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) of creating an administrative vacuum by failing to conduct local government elections before the expiration of the tenure of council chairmen and councillors across the state.

The two-year tenure of chairmen and councillors in the 17 local government areas of Plateau State expired at midnight on Friday, October 9, 2026.

In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Dr Choji Felix Dalyop, the PDP described the failure to conduct the elections before the expiration of the outgoing administrations as an assault on constitutional democracy.

The party accused PLASIEC of failing to discharge its statutory responsibilities, warning that the situation could undermine local government autonomy and affect the administration of the councils.

“This lapse undermines basic democratic principles, threatens local government autonomy, and risks freezing statutory federal allocations due to the 17 LGAs in Plateau State, among others. As past crises in other states have shown, such electoral failures at the end of the day ultimately inflict gross and unwarranted hardship on grassroots citizens and civil servants,” the statement said.

The PDP questioned the circumstances surrounding the failure to conduct the elections, asking who authorised what it described as the suspension of democratic governance across the 17 local government areas.

The party also questioned the implications of the development for the right of residents to elect their local government representatives, insisting that the situation required urgent attention.

It said it would not remain indifferent while the democratic rights of the people were, in its view, jeopardised by institutional neglect or bureaucratic delays.

The PDP called on PLASIEC to immediately announce a definite and expedited timetable for conducting the local government elections, urging the commission to avoid further delays.

It also rejected any move to establish caretaker committees, appoint transitional chairmen or introduce other arrangements it described as unconstitutional to administer the councils.

The party further challenged the PLASIEC leadership to publicly explain why the elections were not conducted before October 10, 2026, despite what it described as extensive preparations and significant public expenditure.

As of the time of the statement, the PDP had called for an urgent clarification from the electoral commission on the next steps for local government administration in the state

Meanwhile, the Plateau State chapter of the ADC accused the state government of using public institutions to weaken opposition parties through policies it said were detrimental to democratic growth.

Addressing journalists in Jos on Saturday, the state chairman of the party, Hon. Dung Dewan, criticised the ruling party over the alleged use of government agencies, including the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), to impose fines on ADC candidates for purported violations of Executive Order 003.

Dewan said the party would continue to operate within the law but would not surrender its democratic rights to threats or what he described as unlawful administrative penalties.

“We are a law-abiding party that follows legitimate regulations. However, respect for the law should never be mistaken for weakness, and our commitment to peace should never be interpreted as a surrender of our democratic rights,” he said.

The ADC chairman accused the JMDB of applying Executive Order 003 selectively, alleging that the board had fined the party and its candidates for displaying campaign posters across the Jos-Bukuru metropolis while posters bearing the images of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained visible on public facilities within restricted areas.

“If the same rules apply to everyone, why does the opposition face sanctions while similar displays attributed to the ruling party are still visible? We challenge JMDB and the Plateau State Government to explain the apparent disparity,” he said.

Dewan questioned whether Executive Order 003 was being enforced impartially against all political parties or selectively against opposition groups.

He said that if the government considered the directive necessary, it should demonstrate its justification through equal enforcement rather than what he described as selective punishment.

He further insisted that the JMDB was a public institution and should not be treated as an extension of any political party, adding that its credibility depended on professionalism, neutrality and equal treatment under the law.

The ADC chairman also questioned the urgency with which the government was allegedly enforcing the directive, arguing that communities across Plateau State continued to demand stronger action against insecurity.

He said residents deserved protection from attacks, displacement, destruction of property and the persistent fear affecting communities across the state.

“We ask the government a straightforward question: If public institutions can be mobilised to enforce an Executive Order with such urgency, why must citizens continue to demand equally urgent and measurable action to protect their lives and property?” he asked.

Dewan urged Governor Mutfwang and his administration to prioritise security, development and good governance rather than actions that, according to him, raised concerns about the treatment of opposition parties (Nigerian Tribune)