YOUTHS under the aegis of Zealous Kwara Youths (ZKY), on Wednesday, called on both the Federal Government and National Assembly not to confirm the nomination of Chairman, Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC), Dr Uthman Ajidagba, as a Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning that his confirmation might bring anarchy to the state in no distance future.
The group gave this warning during a press briefing jointly addressed by its President, Vice-President and Secretary, Comrades John Olawale Adegboye, Ilyas Babatunde Lawal and Ahmed Korede, in Abuja.
They particularly urged the upper chamber of the National Assembly to use their petition as a tool to take a cursory look at all the individuals so nominated by the Presidency and most especially that nomination coming from Kwara State.
They further lamented that his tenure as KWASIEC chairman has become sources of controversy since 2013 up till now, saying that all elections conducted under his stewardship have always been trailed with disputes and controversies of a kind the state has never experienced before.
While urging the Senate to set up a visitation committee that would visit the state and interact with the various stakeholders of council elections in the state, the group affirmed that its members consist of law-abiding patriotic citizens, hence anything that might tamper with or negatively influence the conduct of free and fair elections either in the state or any part of the country would be approached as a threat to the future.
“It is with great concern for the future of fair play in democratic practices in Nigeria that we are forced to organize this press conference. A popular saying hold that evil only persists when the voices of good remain silent. It is in view of this saying that we have decided not to keep quiet about a nomination which portends grave consequences to our democracy in future.
“It is with sadness and concern that we wish to inform President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, all our distinguished Senators and the generality of Nigerians about the immediate and future dangers inherent if the nomination of a certain Dr. Uthman Ajidagba is given the approval to act as a Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC.
“In view of his antecedence, it becomes our responsibility as patriotic citizens of our country to inform the rest of our fellow compatriots of the situation before it becomes an issue”, they stated.
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