Alleged Jihad in Plateau, mere propaganda —Plateau govt

The Plateau State government has dismissed insinuations that Governor Simon Lalong, President Mohammadu Buhari and a community in the state had signed a pact for a jihad in the state as part of the plan to win next Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

He said such falsehood was a call to disunity, hatred and crisis.

According to a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yakubu Dati,  the rumour depicted the shallow mindedness of its authors, adding that the promoters.

He said the rumour was the handiwork of those who failed in their bid to create crisis during the Presidential and National Assembly election.

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He said election matters are decided by the people with the Independent National Election Commission adding that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees citizens the right to contest election wherever they live in the country and warned citizens that fake news is injurious to the society, leaving innocent people to suffer the consequences.

Meanwhile,  APC Campaign Council in Plateau State  has commended the call for peace and restraint by the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman, Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs, Da Jacob Gyang Buba  in view of the tension arising from the delay in the announcement of results of the National Assembly elections conducted on penultimate Saturday.

The council, in a statement signed by Mr. Jonathan Ishaku, enjoined residents to always toe the path of peace and allow (INEC) to carry out its duties.

It said the delay had indeed provided merchants of mischief the opportunity to mobilise miscreants with the purpose of unleashing violence in the state and expressed happiness that INEC had finally announced the results for Plateau North Senatorial zone. He advised the Commission to handle the Plateau South case in an expeditious manner.

“While the delay lasted, there was no doubt it was being manipulated by invidious political forces who desperately want to truncate the atmosphere of peaceful, fair and free elections which was witnessed at the last polls. They wanted to cause chaos to scare away voters and blackmail the ruling party in the process.

“Lastly, we wish to extricate the APC in the on-going imbroglio. The party is only a contestant in the elections along with 72 other political parties. The conduct of elections is the responsibility of INEC, the independent umpire whose duty is it to collate and announce result of the ballot.