The Coalition of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the 2026 Plateau State Local Government Council elections has demanded that the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) conduct the polls before October 10, 2026, warning that failure to do so could create a constitutional vacuum in the state’s 17 local government councils.
The coalition made the demand on Wednesday during a press conference held at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council, in Jos, where its leader, Hon. Sylvanus Dashe Datong, read the statement.
The candidates argued that the Constitution guarantees a system of democratically elected local government councils, stressing that establishing elected structures across the 17 local government areas of Plateau State was a constitutional obligation.
According to them, the PLASIEC Law 2024, which came into force on September 5, 2024, also provides a legal framework for the conduct of local government elections in the state.
The coalition cited Section 19(1) and (2) of the law, which provides that elections for chairmen, vice chairmen and members of local government legislative councils shall be held throughout the state on the same date fixed by the Commission, within the stipulated period before the expiration of the existing tenure.
It also referred to Section 23 of the law, which provides for the dissolution of a local government council after two years from the date the chairman takes the oath of office or the legislative arm is inaugurated, whichever is earlier.
The candidates noted that the current elected local government structures in Plateau State were established following the PLASIEC elections of October 9, 2024, and the swearing-in ceremony on October 10, 2024, arguing that their tenure would therefore expire on October 10, 2026.
They expressed concern that PLASIEC had failed to announce a new election date after the Commission could not meet the earlier September 9, 2026 date, despite candidates having emerged from PDP primaries conducted between March 11 and 12, 2026 and their records being submitted to the Commission.
The coalition also addressed the Plateau State High Court judgment delivered on March 13, 2026, involving Hamisu Anani and the Attorney-General of Plateau State, saying PLASIEC was not a party to the suit and should not use the judgment as a reason for failing to discharge its electoral responsibilities. It noted that appeals had been filed and the matter remained before the Court of Appeal.
Datong said the coalition was demanding that PLASIEC comply with the relevant provisions of the PLASIEC Law 2024 and make deliberate efforts to conduct free, fair and credible local government elections within the remaining nine days before October 10.
The coalition further called on the Plateau State Government to urgently provide all lawful support required by PLASIEC to conduct the elections, warning that failure to establish elected local government structures before the expiration of the current tenure could result in what it described as a constitutional breach and place democracy in the state at a critical juncture.
