The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the 2023 election would be conducted in 4,989 polling units in Plateau State.
The Plateau INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Oliver Agundu, stated this during a one-day roundtable discussion on the prevention and mitigation of election violence in Nigeria’s 2023 General elections held in Jos on Tuesday.
According to the commissioner, the electoral body has also cleaned its register to remove underage voters.
He noted that the commission had taken steps to ensure the use of BVAS during the polls, adding that other sensitive materials that will be deployed to the 17 LGAs had started arriving in the state since last Friday.
The official assured that the commission would ensure the timely deployment of INEC personnel and materials to ensure the early commencement of the exercise.
The commissioner said, “As an electoral body, I can tell you that we are ready for the 2023 poll as over 80 percent pressure has been taken away from the commission. Here in Plateau state, we have a total of 4989 polling units where elections will be conducted in the state.
“As a matter of fact, the sensitive materials have started arriving. All the trained personnel will be deployed before February 23. We have cleaned the underage registers and the commission is committed to fairness, transparency, and credibility in the conduct of elections in Plateau state.
“I have since assumption of duty toured the Seventeen (17) LGAs of Plateau State on a familiarisation visit to meet the staff of the Commission working at the Local Government Areas and have an on-the-spot assessment of our facilities in the light of our readiness towards the general elections.
“Let me state clearly that I am here to work with my team to deliver the most credible and transparent election in the history of Plateau state; anchored on accountability, level playing ground, and impartiality. So, what we need is cooperation from everyone.”
The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, James Christoff, who spoke on the need for voter integrity said that Nigerian democracy must be based on the rule by the people in line with global practice.
According to him, allowing the people to freely chose their leaders to remain a panacea for credible elections and sustainable peace in Nigeria.
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in plateau state, Dr. Patrick Dakum, who spoke on behalf of other political party candidates described peace as fundamental to the Nigerian democratic process.
He expressed the commitment of his colleagues to abide by the guidelines and principles so as to ensure a peaceful poll.
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
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.