15th October, 2018
After days of protests over the outcome of the Oct. 10 local government elections, Mr John Damap, who was declared winner of the Pankshin chairmanship seat, assumed office on Monday.
Damap was sworn in by Gov. Simon Lalong on Thursday, Oct. 11, after the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), declared him winner.
The election was conducted in 13 of the 17 local governments after the state government excluded four local governments – Jos North, Jos South, Riyom and barkin-Ladi – citing security concerns.
The results declared by PLASIEC, however, threw many local government into violent crises as irate youths took to the streets to protest what they claimed was “daylight robbery”.
Worst hit local governments included Pankshin, Mangu, Langtang South, Langtang North, Mikang, Bassa, Kanke and Bokkos.
In many of the areas, houses were burnt while youths blocked major routes and insisted on remaining on the highways until the “right results” were announced.
The situation took a particularly different dimension in Pankshin where the PDP “swore in” their candidate, Mr Henry Koproda who, they claimed, won the elections. Koproda was sworn in on Thursday, Oct. 11.
Former Plateau Deputy Speaker Emmanuel Goar, who swore in the PDP candidate, had vowed that Koproda would take over the office, instead of Damap that was sworn in by Lalong.
Several hours before the arrival of Damap on Monday, a large number of security personnel were deployed to the local government secretariat to prevent PDP supporters from interfering with the hand-over process.
Our correspondent, who covered the handover exercise, reports that only local government workers were allowed into the secretariat.
Mrs. Naomi Gomwen, the outgoing chairman of the area’s transition management committee, in a brief speech, congratulated Damap for his victory, and wished him the best while in office.
Damap, in his response, thanked the outgoing caretaker committee for the efforts to improve the living conditions of the people and promised to continue from where they stopped.
Damap and Gomwen left the secretariat immediately after the exercise.