The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday issued certificates of return to 16 members-elect for the Plateau State House of Assembly.

The members-elect were declared winners of the March 18 elections after the Court of Appeal nullified the election of those earlier declared by INEC.

Of the 16 members-elect, 15 were All Progressives Congress (APC) members, while one was a member of the Labour Party.

Dr Oliver Agundu, Plateau INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said that the exercise was in fulfilment of the directives of the Appeal Court.

Mr Agundu said that the Appeal Court had directed the commission to issue certificates of return to the lawmakers as the rightful winners of the elections.

The REC congratulated the lawmakers-elect for the feat and wished them well as they settled down to serve the state.

Rufus Bature, APC state chairman, said that the Appeal Court victory further strengthened the electoral process and deepened Nigeria’s democracy.

Mr Bature cautioned the lawmakers against any form of mockery of other political parties in the state and urged them to be magnanimous in victory.

“The interests of Plateau will always remain the top priority. We are looking at democracy as being about ourselves.

“My charge to the members is that we should look at Plateau as our starting point in whatever we are going to do,” he said.

The member-elect for Jos North-West, Sunday Naah, said that he was conscious of the high expectations of citizens and pledged to give his all to the growth of not only his constituency but the state at large.

Mr Naah assured his constituents that he would make quality laws with a view to alleviating the sufferings of the people of Jos North-West Constituency.

(NAN)