The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has fixed September 1, 2026, as the date for local government elections across the 17 councils of the state.
Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Plangji Cishak, made the announcement on Thursday during a press briefing in his office in Jos, noting that the notice and timetable align with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2024.
Cishak explained that the publication of the election notice, coming exactly one year before the polls, is in compliance with the law. He added that political parties are expected to conduct their primaries between January 12 and 30, 2026, to democratically nominate their candidates.
According to the timetable, political parties will collect nomination forms from February 2 to 6, 2026, and submit completed forms between February 9 and March 2, 2026. The particulars of candidates will be published on March 7, followed by screening and verification of chairmanship and councillorship aspirants from March 11 to 16, 2026.
Appeals arising from the screening exercise will be received on March 20 and heard on March 23, after which the final list of candidates will be released on March 30, 2026. Political campaigns are scheduled to begin on March 31, 2026, and end at midnight on August 30, 2026.
The Commission also announced that the register of voters will be published on July 21, 2026. Political parties are to submit the names and addresses of their polling agents by August 12, while the notice of poll will be published on August 17, 2026.
Cishak assured stakeholders that the elections would be conducted within the constitutionally stipulated timeframe—no later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of current local government officials. He pledged that PLASIEC would ensure transparency, fairness, and strict adherence to the law, while urging political parties to comply with the timetable and uphold democratic principles in their internal processes.
News3 days ago
