#PlateauDecides: PDP’s Caleb Muftwang wins Plateau governorship election

By: Isaac Shobayo, Jos

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Muftwang, as the winner of Saturday’s gubernatorial election with a total different vote of 43,899.

Even as 14 BVAS, as well as 14 ad-hoc staff, have been declared missing while elections did not hold in 14 polling units in Jos North council area of the state

According to the official INEC results, the candidate of the People Democratic Party won in 10 council areas: Jos South, Mikang, Mangu, Langtang North, Langtang South, Bokkos, Barakin-Ladi, Bassa, Riyom, and Qua’pan, while the APC clinched seven council areas: Jos North, Kanke, Pankshin, Kanam, Wase, Shendam, and Jos East.

The State Returning Officer, Professor Is
Idris Amale, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lafia-Nasarawa State, disclosed the results on Monday in Jos, Plateau State.

He disclosed that the candidate of PDP Muftwang polled a total vote of 525, 299 to defeat his close rival, Professor Nentawe Yiltwada, who scored 481 370.

 

According to him, the votes generated by other political parties are A 151, AA 98, AAC 675, ADC 1508, APC 481370, APGA 779, APM 198, APP 147, PB 885, LP 60,310, NNPP 983, NRM 2,213, PDP 52,5299.

Professor Idris Amale, therefore, declared the candidate of PDP, Muftwang as the Saturday governorship election winner.

 

However, while presenting the council results, the returning officer of Jos North local government, Professor Chris Vende, disclosed that the election did not hold in fourteen polling places in the council area.

He further added that fourteen BVAS had disappeared while fourteen ad-hoc staff were missing and called on INEC to investigate the incident.

Even as tension enveloped Jos, the state capital Monday as most shops, and business premises were closed for fear of a possible attack by miscreants who may want to use the situation to perpetrate violence.

Youths in their hundreds, most of whom were PDP supporters, barricaded roads leading to the state headquarters of INEC on the suspicion that some forces were planning to manipulate the result.

However, immediately after the candidate of the PDP was pronounced by INEC as the winner of the gubernatorial election, Jos, the state capital, went agog and was thrown into jubilation as residents took to the streets to celebrate the victory.

Meanwhile, the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Dr. Patrick Dakum, has congratulated the candidate of the PDP, Caleb Muftwang, for winning the state gubernatorial election.

Dr. Dakum, in a recorded congratulatory message made available to the Nigerian Tribune, prayed that the Lord would give the governor-elect long life and wisdom to govern the state.

Recalled that the PDP lost Plateau State to APC in 2015 as a result of a protest vote by the party supporters and electorates over the refusal of the PDP then to adhere to the zoning arrangement among the three senatorial districts in the state.

Attempts by the PDP to stage a come back in 2019 was scuttled by internal wrangling, making the incumbent, Governor Simon Lalong to win the election.