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Caution your followers against violence – Plateau group warns Political leaders

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The Plateau Peace and Mediation Working Committee (PPMWC) has called on the stakeholders, especially political leaders in Plateau State and the entire country, to restrain their followers from taking the law into their hands.

Addressing newsmen in Jos, the chairman of the group, Dr. Dinshak Luka Dajahar, enjoined all the political actors to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and avoid any act that could lead to lawlessness, adding that in any political contest, there must be losers and a winner.

The Plateau Peace and Mediation Working Committee (PPMWC) has called on the stakeholders, especially political leaders in Plateau State and the entire country, to restrain their followers from taking the law into their hands.

Addressing newsmen in Jos, the chairman of the group, Dr. Dinshak Luka Dajahar, enjoined all the political actors to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and avoid any act that could lead to lawlessness, adding that in any political contest, there must be losers and a winner.

He said: “There is no gainsaying the fact that there would always be winners and looses in any contest. Losing in a continuing contest such as the periodic elections is only temporary, as contenders could ordinarily go back to re-strategize for the next opportunity”

Dr Dajah narrated that there were instances in Plateau State and other parts of the country where those who lost before won another time adding that it is all a game of a person’s ability to commend oneself to the electorate and performance at the period of service for those seeking reelection.

“This should be the case in a normal situation.” Unfortunately, our governance system and its institutions are weak. This includes the electoral and justice systems. The electoral process that produces winners and losers is not wholly trusted by politicians and electorates.

“Questions of credibility and fairness usually trail the electoral umpire in virtually every election.” Sadly, the justice system is also not considered strong enough to deliver justice to aggrieved parties. This has often led to parties taking it upon themselves to personally address any perceived infraction through violence, which often leads to destruction of properties, injuries, and even the loss of lives in so many cases. “This is most sad,” he said.

He pointed out that Plateau State has gone through much already for a little over two decades now, and the people need to rethink whenever there is tension concerning any issues and note that a single wrong step can spark off yet another cycle of violence that none can predict how far it can go.

Dr. Dajah equally stated that despite the fact that there are challenges with the Nigerian justice system, there have been several instances where election results were successfully challenged and the outcomes reversed.

The Chairman appealed to all stakeholders to still resort to the legal procedure, and where this does not produce the desired expectation, those concerned should be consoled that power comes from God and no one can come into it except He gives it to the person.

“We therefore urge all stakeholders, especially political leaders, to restrain their followers. Former President Goodluck Jonathan rightly stated that nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any citizen. Again, Martin Luther Jr. admonished that we must learn to live together as brothers or all perish together as fools because he acknowledged that although there would be situations where we have reason to be angry because we consider we have been wronged by our neighbors, we must find a way of peacefully accommodating ourselves or we all lose out”

He, therefore, charged the people of Plateau State to conduct themselves peacefully as the results of the remaining areas are released and as the people looks forward to conducting the governorship and House of Assembly elections that come up on March 11, 2023.

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Lagos 2027 gets hot as Hamzat, Rhodes-Vivour make INEC final list [FULL LIST]

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has unveiled the final list of Lagos State governorship candidate.

The list is contained in a document released by INEC on Saturday in preparation for the 2027 general elections.

According to the document, the Lagos State deputy governor, Femi Hamzat is listed at the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Also on the list is Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate.

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Find attach below document containing the full list.

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Pantami’s Name Missing As INEC Releases Final List Of Gombe Gov Candidates

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, from its final list of governorship candidates for Gombe State ahead of the February 6, 2027 election.

Politics Nigeria reports that the commission released a list of 16 cleared candidates for the election, but Pantami’s name was missing despite his earlier inclusion in the provisional list published on August 29.

Among the candidates on the final list are Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Others include Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party (LP), Lamela L. Silas of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Pantami’s exclusion comes amid a series of legal disputes over his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state.

The former minister had initially sought the APC governorship ticket but left the party after it settled for Gwamna as its consensus candidate. He subsequently joined the PDP and emerged as the party’s flag bearer through voice affirmation at its governorship primary.

However, a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe nullified his initial emergence on May 26, following a challenge to the primary process.

The court ordered a fresh primary election, which Pantami won on September 29 with 2,054 votes, defeating Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry.

Garry had challenged Pantami’s emergence, arguing that the required primary election was not properly conducted before the former minister was declared the party’s candidate.

Despite winning the court-ordered rerun, Pantami’s eligibility remained in doubt following the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing political party membership registers and candidate eligibility.

The Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 and upheld INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections.

The provisions bar political parties from fielding candidates whose names were not included in the membership registers submitted to INEC within the stipulated period.

INEC has maintained that parties found to have violated the requirements will not be permitted to participate in the elections through candidates whose nominations breach the law.

Mohammed Haruna, an INEC national commissioner in charge of information and voter education, said the commission would not allow parties to replace candidates affected by the provisions.

Haruna made the clarification during an appearance on Trust TV’s programme on Wednesday evening, explaining that allowing substitutions would enable political parties to benefit from their own violations.

INEC Chairman Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan

He cited previous disputes involving Zamfara and Plateau states to illustrate the consequences of parties failing to comply with electoral requirements.

“It’s like you committed an offence. And then, you come and benefit from it,” Haruna said.

He added that allowing parties to substitute candidates in such circumstances would amount to permitting them to benefit from an offence they had committed.

Haruna also indicated that the commission expected to make a definite pronouncement on the implications of the Supreme Court judgment by the following Tuesday.

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