APC clears council seats in Kwara as opposition kicks

CHAIRMANSHIP candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state have been declared winners by the state independent electoral commission (KWASIEC) in all the 16 local government council areas of the state in the council poll conducted on Saturday.

Declaring the results of the elections on Sunday evening in Ilorin, the chairman of the KWASIEC, Alhaji Uthman Ajidagba, said that the APC won 181 councillorship seats while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 8.

He also said that 4 councillorship seats were inconclusive in Ilorin West, Moro and Edu local government areas of the state.

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, has urged the Police command in the state to release some members of the party arrested on Sunday during a protest at the KWASIEC office.

It was gathered that some PDP members had stormed KWASIEC office in Ilorin on Sunday demanding for fair and accurate outcome of the election from the electoral umpire.

In the process, it was also gathered that some members of the opposition party were arrested by security personnel.

“Many of our members have been arrested just because they showed resentment against electoral fraud. The question I want to ask is: If these people are popular why ballot snatching? If they are popular why arresting our members? If they are popular why votes doctoring? This council election is the worst in the history of Kwara state and Nigeria by extension”, he said.

Earlier the state police public relations officer of the command, Ajayi Okasanmi, had warned against unlawful gatherings in the metropolis over the local government elections.

“It is noteworthy that the election was generally peaceful throughout the state and opportunities are available for any aggrieved party to ventilate their grievance through judicial means.

“The command is therefore using this medium to advice parents and guidance to call their children and wards to order, as the command is fully prepared to deal with anybody arrested for causing the breach of peace.”

Also in a statement, Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, called on all citizens and residents of the state to remain calm and law abiding.

He hailed the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s local government elections in the state and urged all law-abiding citizens to calmly await the release of the official results of the elections.

Meanwhile, people of Kwara State have been commended for demonstrating a high sense of maturity, decorum and peaceful conduct in the weekend’s Local Government election in the State.

Reacting to the outcome of the Saturday’s Council Poll in the State, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad, said that the state could only attain the desired political transformation and accelerated socio-economic development when the people of the State place collective and communal interest above parochial considerations.

The Speaker was however alarmed, over the unprecedented incidences of snatching of ballot boxes, burning of electoral materials and confrontation of electoral officers.