Tension grips candidates as INEC excludes PDP from Plateau by-election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Saturday’s rerun election in six local government areas of Bassa, Barkin-Ladi, Jos North, Jos South, Jos East, and Riyom, respectively. 

The exclusion was noticed during the distribution of electoral materials on Thursday at the Central Bank of Nigeria in Jos, the Plateau State capital. This development has thrown PDP candidates into confusion and brewed tension among their supporters. 

Those affected are Simon Mwadkwon for Plateau North and Musa Agah for Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency.

On Wednesday, supporters of the PDP stormed INEC headquarters in Jos to clarify rumours of the exclusion of their candidates in Saturday’s election. 

Though electoral officials assured protesters that the issue was under control, Thursday’s revelation of the exclusion has brewed tension in the state.

Reacting to the news on Thursday, Mr Mwadkwon, during a live interview on JayFM Jos, expressed concerns over his exclusion from the ballot. 

He further raised concerns over rumours that former Governor Jonah Jang had endorsed the candidate of the Labour Party, Gyang Zi. 

“I don’t think he is fit to represent the people of Plateau North because that would have amounted to lies, and then a leader should not lie. Baba Jang will not endorse Gyang Zi for anything,” he said. 

Accusing Mr Zi and the APC of being among those who have set Plateau state back, he added, “I am a hundred per cent sure that Senator Jang will not endorse anybody from the Labour Party or from the APC.”

Mr Agah, also affected by this exclusion, reacted on the show to further distance himself from rumours of endorsements and to register his dissatisfaction over INEC. 

“I feel very pained with the decision taken by INEC without some of us knowing,” he said.

He went further to allege how INEC gave false assurances that the PDP would partake in the by-elections scheduled for Saturday, February 3.

“The assurances they kept giving us before now are that PDP will appear on the ballot. It is quite unfortunate judging from the miscarriage of the Appeal Court; we were thinking that with what the Supreme Court has asserted, INEC should have taken a cue from that,” he added.

Messrs Mwadkwon and Agah were declared winners of the February 2023 National Assembly Elections for Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, respectively. 

However, a petition was filed by Mr Zi and the candidate of the PRP Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Mohammad Adam Alkali, against the PDP. 

The Court of Appeal upturned the victories of the PDP candidates and ordered a fresh rerun, which has seen Mr Mwadkwon and Mr Agah excluded from the ballot. 

This has sparked outrage and widespread reactions in the state, especially after the Supreme Court judgment in January, which affirmed Governor Caleb Mutfwang of the PDP as the winner of the March 2023 gubernatorial elections.