The Reconstituted PLASIEC and the
Task Ahead
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| Simon Bako Lalong, Ex Gov, Plateau State, Nigeria |
Late last
year, Governor Simon Bako Lalong appointed members of the reconstituted Plateau
State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) in readiness for the conduct
of local government elections in the state. The new PLASIEC is headed by Mr.
Fabian Ntu, a retired civil servant who rose to the rank of Permanent
Secretary. Like in other states of the federation, the state electoral body is
responsible for the conduct of elections for chairmanship and councillorship
positions at the third tier of government.
In view of
its proximity to the masses at the grassroots, much importance is attached to
governance at the local government level and this was perhaps why much uproar
was generated when Governor Lalong unilaterally sacked the 15 elected council
chairmen and their councilors and dismantled the local government structure
which he inherited from his predecessor, Governor Jonah David Jang, shortly
after he assumed office.
Following
this development, there were divergent views and many reasons were advanced for
the governor’s action. On its part, government accused the ousted local
government chairmen of disloyalty and corrupt practices, but skeptics were
quick to point out that the governor acted out of fear and mistrust as he was
not comfortable working with elected council chairmen who came into office on
the platform of an opposition party, namely the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He therefore sent them packing and put in their place trusted All Progressives
Congress (APC) members who became the new helmsmen of the local government
councils in the state. The skeptics were irked that despite his earlier policy
statement that he would retain democratic structures left behind by his
predecessor, the governor suddenly recanted and went ahead to dissolve them.
It therefore
came as a welcome relief to all lovers of democracy in the state when Governor
Lalong announced the reconstitution of PLASIEC to undertake the conduct of new
local government elections to replace the appointed management committee
chairmen, most of whom have any way, performed and, continue to perform,
abysmally below average in comparison with their predecessors.
As a
prominent member of the legal profession, Lalong is no doubt aware of the
consequences of having unelected people running the affairs of the local
governments in a democratic dispensation. First, the much-talked-about delivery
of the dividends of democracy to those at the grassroots remains a mirage under
appointed officials who are not truly committed to the people’s wellbeing. Their
allegiance is primarily to the government of the day and not the people.
Secondly, the Nigerian Constitution, as we know it has no room for caretaker or
management committees in the affairs of local governments and they therefore
have no legal basis. They are creations of the whims and caprices of state
chief executives and nothing more.
While the
task before the reconstituted PLASIEC is onerous, it must not fail the people
of Plateau State in carrying out its assignment. Going by the caliber of people
Governor Lalong appointed despite bickering here and there about nepotism, the
people of the state expect nothing but free, fair, credible and transparent
local government elections any time it is conducted, presumably in the second
quarter of this year. The insinuation in
some quarters that PLASIEC Chairman Ntu is the governor’s kinsman and was
therefore appointed to do a hatchet job for the governor and his party, must
not be allowed to gain grounds. The PLASIEC members must live above board and
should not be seen to be biased in any way in the performance of their duties.
Members of the electoral body must also guard against the experiences of the
ill-fated 2008 local government elections which culminated into widespread
crisis that almost brought the state to its knees.
On its part,
government must provide all the necessary logistics and support that PLASIEC
needs to perform creditably. Above all, it must ensure the independence of the
electoral umpire because anything short of this would negate the principles of
democracy and subvert the will of the people to exercise power through their
democratically-elected representatives.
Here’s
wishing PLASIEC good luck.
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