Plateau LG Polls: PDP Candidates Give PLASIEC Nine Days to Avert Constitutional Vacuum

Coalition warns that failure to conduct elections before October 10 could throw Plateau democracy into chaos

Timescope News 

Chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2026 Plateau State local government elections have issued a nine-day ultimatum to the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) to conduct the polls, warning that failure to do so could create a constitutional vacuum in the state's 17 local government councils.

The candidates, under the auspices of the Coalition of PDP Chairmanship and Councillorship Candidates, made the demand on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, during a world press conference in Jos. Their leader, Hon. Sylvanus Dashe Datong, presented the address.

They specifically demanded that PLASIEC make "deliberate and conscious efforts" to conduct free, fair and credible local government elections before October 10, when the tenure of the current elected councils would expire.

"PLASIEC should make deliberate and conscious efforts in the next nine days from today and conduct a free, fair and credible local government elections in Plateau State to avoid throwing Plateau democracy into chaos," the coalition said.

The candidates also called on the Plateau State Government to provide PLASIEC with all lawful support required to conduct the elections within the nine-day period, warning that failure to do so could leave the government complicit if a vacuum emerges in the local government democratic structures.

The coalition said the current elected councils were inaugurated on October 10, 2024, following the October 9, 2024 PLASIEC elections, and argued that their two-year tenure would expire on October 10, 2026.

According to the candidates, they participated in PDP primaries held on March 11 and 12, 2026, based on PLASIEC's timetable for the September 9 local government elections, and subsequently submitted their records to the electoral commission.

They expressed concern that despite the postponement of the September 9 polls, PLASIEC had yet to announce a new election date as of September 30.

The coalition also rejected the suggestion that the March 13, 2026 Plateau State High Court judgment was sufficient justification for PLASIEC's failure to proceed with the elections, noting that the commission was not a party to the suit and that appeals had been filed.

"PLASIEC which is neither a party to nor bound by the said judgment cannot renege on its constitutional mandate based on the shallow grounds of such judgment," the coalition stated.

The candidates said allowing the tenure of the elected councils to expire without conducting fresh elections would place Plateau's democratic structures at risk, urging PLASIEC and the state government to act before October 10.

They further called on the electoral commission to comply with the relevant provisions of the PLASIEC Law 2024 and fulfil its mandate of conducting local government elections across the state.