By Daniel Dauda, Jos


Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Plateau State chapter, have held a citizens engagement town hall meeting with political parties candidates ahead of the 11th March, 2023, governorship election  in the state.

The NIPR election town hall meeting, held Thursday in Jos, Crest Hotel was an avenue created for parties governorship candidates to leverage and shared their ideologies with Plateau people on what to do if elected.

Revealing the rationale behind the initiative, Mr.Thomas Bajeh, chairman NIPR, Plateau state chapter said, the institute is much concern about dividends of democracy and good governance by holding leaders accountable to their actions.

According to Bajeh, "NIPR is seek to deepening democracy and governance in Plateau state by engaging the governorship candidates through opening conversations between the candidates and citizens of Plateau.

" In the build up of the 2023 general elections, the NIPR both at the national and state levels organized a citizens summit where we opening a conversation on our nation with a view to built a trust and national cohesion irrespective of our units and culture.

"The institute in Plateau state has done so much to ensure that we have free and fair elections. And, we believed to do that is to engage the citizens and to ensure the people get into the system.

" In a bit to ensure all eligible voters vote, the NIPR collaborated with INEC to moved voters registration closer to the people where we successfully registered over 500 new eligible voters which it has tremendously increased the number of registered voters on the Plateau.

"Today's engagement is the opportunity for Plateau citizens to get listen from those who seek to lead them, and also make an inform decision on who to vote based on the assessment of the candidates and their manifestos or blue print", the NIPR boss stated.

However, our correspondent observed that amongst the 15 candidates jostling for number one position of Plateau come 11th March, 2023 governor election, only the candidate of Labour party, Dr. Patrick Dakum and Barr. Caleb Mutfwang of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) identify priority as other candidates were absent despite promised to be present.

It was gathered that the Labour Party standard bearer Dr. Dakum, who responded to question from the participants via zoom conversation promised to stabilize peace and security, agriculture, education, human capital development, mining, industry and other sector of the economy if elected.

Caleb Mutfwang of PDP who is not physically present at the town hall meeting, but sent a message through his media directorate, Yiljap Abraham thus, "Mutfwang looks forward to working with professionals like the NIPR."

Meanwhile, other governorship candidates left a vacuum space and not even a communication.