Comrade Kennedy Gindu, the outgoing Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Plateau Youth Council (PYC) in Jos South, has raised concerns over the recently concluded PYC election held on September 25, 2024.

Gindu, who was nominated as a state delegate from Vwang district, called for the nullification of the election, describing it as a deeply flawed process marked by electoral malpractice and manipulation.

According to him, the election was not conducted in a free and fair manner as claimed by Panan Dapar Gongden, who emerged victorious. Gindu believes that the election should be reviewed and justice served.

He recounted how, upon arriving at the election venue, he and other nominated delegates discovered that their names had been replaced. Gindu revealed that despite being screened and confirmed as legitimate delegates from Jos South, their names were omitted from the final delegate list without any explanation. “We were left in shock when our names were not included after being screened. This is one of the major manipulations that occurred during the election,” he said.

The veteran PYC member explained that efforts to resolve the issue were met with resistance. Gindu and his group approached some veterans at the event, who attempted to intervene by contacting higher authorities, including the Commissioner of Transport. However, their efforts proved futile, as the election committee, headed by Dr. Philip Nyango, ignored their concerns and proceeded with the election.

Gindu criticized Gongden for defending the election as free and fair, describing the statements made during an interview on Jay FM’s Nigeria at Sunset as false. He urged Gongden to apologize to Plateau’s youth rather than misleading them. “All the claims made by Panan Gongden that the election was transparent are false. The process that brought him in was anything but transparent,” Gindu remarked.

As the outgoing PRO of Jos South’s PYC, Gindu emphasized his understanding of how the delegate selection process is supposed to work, pointing out that the selection in his district followed due process. He expressed frustration over the fact that individuals outside the official process tampered with delegate nominations for personal gains. According to him, this manipulation casts a shadow over the entire election.

Concluding his remarks, Gindu reiterated his call for the government to investigate the election and ensure that the truth comes to light. He expressed hope that the court case already filed concerning the election would result in justice. “I believe the election should be nullified. It wasn’t an election; it was more like a nomination,” Gindu stated, calling for accountability and transparency in the PYC leadership process.