By Anastasia Jatbyen.


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State has dragged the Plateau State Independent Electorial Commission (PLASIEC) to the State High Court, Plateau State Division, for excluding the members of the party from participating in the forthcoming Local Government elections slated for October,2021.


The Party is also challenging the State electorial umpire over the outrageous amount for the sale of nomination forms for the Councillorship and Chairmanship positions respectively.


The case was however adjourned till 5th August,2021 for hearing on the originating summon and preminary objection filed by PDP who is the claimant in the matter.


In an interview with counsel to PDP Edward Pwajok (SAN) said his client is in court to challenge PLASIEC for organizing election for Chairman and Councillor in Plateau State by excluding PDP for participating in the election.


Pwajok SAN described the action of electorial umpire in the state as grossly wrong, undemocratic and ploy to denied the people of Plateau State their fundamental human rights to choose who their leader would be,in the third tier of Government.


The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) further added that it is unconstitutional, illegal , in fact violate all the international norms that encourage voters to participate freely on the person to represent them either as chairman or Councillor.


So the party PDP is seeking redress in court challenging that PLASIEC doesn’t have such power to deny the voters their right to choose which person they want.


He described the action of PLASIEC as bearly conceived attempt to endorse candidate from the ruling APC which he said should not allowed to prevail in democracy.


On the injunction moved by PDP, Edward said it’s for the court to restrain PLASIEC,the body saddled with the responsibility of presiding on election matters in the state from conducting the state chairmanship and consillorship election in the pending the hearing of the substantive suit.


He stressed that the vacation judge, Justice Ishaku Kunda in his wisdom has promised that the case, because of its sensitive nature,especially as it relates to the affairs of the state, will be given accelerated hearing,and hope that the pace of the proceedings will be quickened.


On the next adjourned date which is 5th August,2021, we are coming back to the court to argue both the objection by PLASIEC and the preliminary objection filed by PDP.


“So hopefully ,if the court hear all the issues raised that day,it can be adjourned for judgement.”


Pawjok said if judgement is given in good time,there is no need for motion because the election is going to be in October with the conviction that the judgement will come way ahead of October ,to clear the way so that voters on Plateau will know their faith.


On the prospect of the case, Edward said it’s very, very bright because the action of the electorial umpire has no precedent in law,our case therefore is that even the PLASIEC law doesn’t in any section give it the power to exclude any candidate.


He condemned the outrageous amount for the purchase of nomination form which many of the aspirants particularly from the PDP may not have the financial muscle to contain with.


The SAN recalled that the President who was even a rich man was in one time given nomination form free of charge by lNEC let alone Chairman and Councillor, which is a deliberate ploy to denied the PDP aspirants from contesting.


In another separate interview with the Emerald Magazine,the counsel to PLASIEC , Chief Garba Pwul (SAN) said there is nowhere in the political history of the country where nomination forms were given free to the aspirants by INEC or PLASIEC as the case my be which is the bone if contention that forms should be given to the PDP aspirants free of charge.


Pwul stressed that his client is prepared for the election and ready to give all the aspirants level playing ground to ventilate their political prowess.


Pwul debunked the insinuation by the claimant that they were been denied nomination form and add that there is no where even at the national level nomination form is never free.