Local government election was last held in Kwara state by the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in November 2017.
This, making it seven years after another one was conducted on Saturday, September 21, 2024, by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
On assumption of office in 2019, Governor Abdulrazaq dissolved the elected chairmen in all the 16 local government areas of the state, while he appointed Transition Committee Chairmen (TIC) until the conduct of a local government election last Saturday.
Political stakeholders in the state said that the conduct of the election, which witnessed a large turnout of voters, was peaceful and orderly.
The chairman of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC), Mohammed Baba-Okanla, in the early hours of Sunday, declared the results of the election, affirming victory for all the chairmanship and councilorship candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Following the declaration of the results by the KWASIEC, it was mixed reactions as members of the ruling APC, particularly, friends and well-wishers of the candidates who participated in the election, embarked on celebration, while protests rejecting the results was witnessed in Ilorin and Offa towns on Sunday by members of the opposition PDP.
Speaking with journalists in Offa, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Offa local government area, Hon. Salahudeen Lukman, accused the Kwara state Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) of poor performance in the election, saying that the election should be rescheduled in Offa.
Hon. Salahudeen Lukman, on behalf of 12 wards councilorship candidates of the PDP, said that the election was characterized “by irregularities, with no votes cast, counted, or announced in Offa.
The PDP candidates called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate action and hold Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq responsible for alleged electoral misconduct in the poll.
“To maintain peace and ensure the credibiity of our democratic process, we demand the immediate rescheduling of the Offa Local Government election”, the people said.
The people, who urged all Offa residents to remain calm and law-abiding, said that legal avenues would be pursued to correct what was described as injustice.
“We remain committed to peace and order, but we will not allow our democratic rights to be trampled upon by those who seek to manipulate the system for their
own benefit”.
The Special Adviser to Governor Abdulrazaq on Political Matters, who is an indigene of Offa town, Mr. Femi Agbaje, said that the local government election was conducted in the town, adding that those who were interested did exercise their franchise right.
“Traditionally, Offa is an APC town. Therefore, the people will not be so docile and vote for another party.
“Abinitio, PDP did not want the election to hold, that was why it went to court seeking for the stoppage of the election”, Mr Agbaje added.
Corroborating Agbaje, the APC chairman-elect, Sulaiman Olatunji, said that PDP was not prepared for the election, adding that, “APC prepared for the election and we won”.
He added that, “the election was free, fair and transparent. PDP is lying and it is trying to cover its lies”.
Also, the Kwara State Police Command has said that the Saturday local government elections in the state was peacefully conducted.
In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, the command said that the feat was achieved in collaboration with other security agencies.
In apparent reaction to the complaints raised by the opposition, the chairman of the KWASIEC, Mr. Mohammed Baba-Okanla, said that the election did not record any major casualty, while he thanked the people for trooping out en masse to exercise their civic rights.
The KWASIEC boss said that the electoral process, which unfolded across the state’s 16 Local Government Areas and 193 wards, witnessed the participation of five political parties: APC, APM, PDP, SDP, and Accord.
He later shared the results as filed by the electoral officers and returning officers from the fields.
“After meticulous collation and verification, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in all categories. Specifically, the APC has won all 16 Local Government Area chairmanship positions. The party has also secured all 193 councilorship seats.
“We commend political parties for their commitment to a peaceful election, which did not record any major casualty and the people of Kwara State for trooping out en masse to exercise their civic rights.
“We also like to appreciate security agencies for ensuring peace and orderliness throughout the voting process in a professional manner”.
Meanwhile, state chairman of the APC, Prince Sunday Fagbemi and Governor Abdulrazaq, among other stalwarts of the ruling party have continued to hail the conduct of the local government election, describing it as triumph of democracy.
Fagbemi, in a statement on Sunday, also hailed the outcome of the poll, while he acknowledged trust placed in the APC by the people of Kwara State.
The APC chairman attributed the victory to development projects executed by the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in the state and his commitment to sustaining development across the state.
Also, Governor Abdulrazaq has congratulated all the newly elected 16 local government chairpersons and 193 councillors on their deserving victories at Saturday’s election.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor also congratulated all the leaders and members of the APC on the successful outing at the pollls, which he links to the strides of the government, the support of every party member and stakeholders, and sustained relationships that the party has built with the people of the state.
Governor Abdulrazaq commends the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission and the security agencies for the peaceful and hugely successful exercise.
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