Gov Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau has exercised his franchise in the ongoing local government elections in the state, assuring citizens that their votes will count.
Mutfwang gave the assurance after casting his vote in Ampang West, Mangu Local Government Area of the state at exactly 9:15 a.m.
“As you can see, the exercise has begun in earnest; you can see enthusiastic voters trooping to the polling units to cast their votes.
“We assure people in this election that their votes will count. I am glad that the process is going seamlessly and quite fast.
“In fact, it’s faster than the BVAS machines that we used in the general elections. I am confident that the queue of voters will soon clear,” he said.
Speaking on the general security situation in the state, the governor said that there were minimal security threats, owing to the degree of transparency exhibited by his government.
“People are moving about; the security agencies do not have much work to do; when you provide for transparency, it reduces tension.
“No hitches have been reported to me so far, and as at yesterday, all that Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) needed had been adequately provided for,” he said.
The governor, however, stressed the need for evolving the use of technology to make BVAS machines more efficient.
“The smoothness of this exercise has shown that we must not be static in the use of any technological platform; we must continue evolving and looking out for the best.
“Accreditation is at the heart of any transparent election and should be done seamlessly.
“When people cast their votes, knowing that those votes will count, I am sure the electoral process will continue to evolve with integrity,” Mutfwang said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the atmosphere in Ampang West was calm and peaceful, with voters casting their ballots and community members going about their daily activities. (NAN)
