The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has amended the timetable for the forthcoming 2026 local government elections in the state. The adjustment affects key pre-election activities and the date of the polls.
The amendment was announced by the Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Plangji Daniel Cishak, during a press briefing held on Thursday, January 9, 2026, at the PLASIEC headquarters in Jos.
Cishak recalled that the Commission had earlier issued the notice of election in September 2025 in line with the law and the Electoral Act, signaling the commencement of preparations for the 2026 local government elections.
He explained that the decision to amend the timetable followed legal, administrative, and operational considerations, stressing that the changes were aimed at ensuring a credible, inclusive, and well-coordinated electoral process.
According to the updated schedule, local government elections will now be conducted in all the 17 local government councils of Plateau State on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
PLASIEC clarified that the new election date remains in compliance with the PLASIEC Law 2024, which requires that elections be held not later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of elected local government officials.
The amended timetable also shifted party primaries to hold from Saturday, March 7 to Thursday, March 12, 2026, instead of the earlier January dates, to allow political parties adequate time to prepare.
Collection of nomination forms by political parties has been rescheduled to March 13–17, 2026, while submission of completed nomination forms will now take place between March 18 and 19, 2026.
The publication of candidates’ personal particulars is fixed for March 21, 2026, followed by the screening of chairmanship candidates from March 23 to 24, 2026, and councillorship candidates from March 25 to 28, 2026.
PLASIEC will publish the list of cleared candidates on March 30, 2026, receive appeals on March 31, and conclude hearings of appeals on April 1, 2026.
The final list of nominated candidates is expected to be released on April 9, 2026, while public campaigns by political parties will officially commence on April 11, 2026.
The Commission assured political parties, civil society groups, security agencies, and the media of its commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement, urging all parties to cooperate to ensure peaceful and successful elections in 2026.
