APC Rejects Plateau LG Election Results, Heads To Court

The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State has vehemently rejected the results of the local government election held on Wednesday, branding the exercise as ill-fated and promising to pursue legal action against the outcome.

At a press conference on Saturday at the party secretariat in Jos, the state capital, APC chairman Rufus Bature articulated the party’s stance, asserting that they would not accept the election results.

Bature specifically criticized the distribution of sensitive materials to local government areas and their subsequent handling at various electoral wards and polling units. He argued that these mismanagements compromised the integrity of the election process.

He said, “It is a fact that election materials, particularly ballot papers, were grossly inadequate as polling units, mostly those perceived as APC strongholds, were deliberately given 10% to 20% of what was required.

“Furthermore, in those earmarked areas, results sheets were not provided at all for reasons best known to PLSIEC. Despite all complaints and representations made to the electoral officers, nothing changed. Added to this unfortunate scenario was the supply of malfunctioned voting machines which never worked, and in most polling units, the machines hardly lasted more than two hours.

“This, we know, is a clever way of rigging and also disenfranchising the people. Worst of all was the fact that election never took place in some areas, and there was reported stuffing of ballot papers in PDP strongholds. Inspite of these manipulations and sophistry by PLASIEC and the PDP-led government, the people never wavered but instead voted the candidates of their choices.

“PLASIEC officials, particularly returning officers absconded across the entire states without waiting to collate the results as stipulated by law.”

Bature, however, called on the supporters of his party to remain calm and resilient to the party, assuring that the party would do everything possible to regain its mandates.