The newly appointed chairman of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission [PLSIEC] Elder Gabriel D. Zi has denied being a card carrying member of any political party saying he is a neutral person only assigned to conduct the forth coming local government elections.

Speaking to newsmen in his office, the chairman said assured all the political parties participating in the elections of a free, fair and credible exercise.

It would be recalled that, the state government some three months back had ordered for the cancellation of the local government elections mid-way following the series of complaints of shortage of materials at various polling units hence the state government’s decision to sack the then commission’s Chairman Mr. Jefferson Maji alongside five other commissioners of the commission.

He also reminded politicians and political parties that "election is not a do or die affairs" and as such both the party and candidates should learn to accept the out of elections as the true reflection of the electorates verdict saying, "it is the people that normally decide who should represent them and who is not to represent them at any level."

According to him, the election would soon be conducted but they are yet to fix any date for the conduct of the election saying in preparatory to the forth coming council polls the commission would employed new able hands as permanent staff not adhoc staff whom would be posted to various local government down to wards.

Elder Zi said he has already concluded arrangement with the National body of INEC and National Orientation agency [NOA] to train the newly employ staffers on the basis knowledge of electoral law before posting them to the local government areas, because those to be employ are ignorant of the electoral law.

He added that, he had in held an interactive session with leaders of various political parties in the state as well as the local government advisory committee Chairmen who are the chief security officers at the local levels and pleaded with the council boss to assist the staffers that the commission is about to employ and deploy them down to the rural areas with accommodations, office and take them round on a familization tour of the local areas.

According to him, the purposed of sending the staff down to the various local government areas to enable have a first hand knowledge of the areas and it would cease their job on the election having had a knowledgeable of the operation of villages and villagers themselves.