Although it failed to win any chairmanship seat during the last local government elections in Kwara State, the Peoples Democratic Party used the opportunity to send a clear signal: it was ready to challenge the status quo in the state in 2019, writes Hammed Shittu
The just concluded local government councils poll in Kwara State has come and gone. The poll has produced the elected councillors and chairmen for all the 16 local government councils in the state.
The emergence of these councillors and chairmen has now brought a new ray of hope to the people of the grassroots who had for long agitated for the enthronement of elected representatives at the local level of governance in the state.
The election was held in peaceful atmosphere across the state except in Lafiaji town in Edu Local Government Area of the state where there was crisis as irate youths of the town protested against the alleged poor representation of the senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Shaaba Lafiaji who also hails from the town. The youths were said to be angry with Lafiaji over his refusal to construct a culvert that would lead to the town despite series of overtures made to him in this regard.
Consequently, these angry youths prevented the senator from entering the town a day to the local government council poll. During the melee that followed, five persons were killed while the palatial house of the senator in the town was burnt down. The men of the state police command have begun investigations into the act. The ugly development however, prevented the conduct of the poll in the town which has two wards. The state electoral body has said that the poll would be conducted as soon as peace returns to the area.
Prior to the conduct of the election, various political parties about 37 of them signified their intention to participate in the election. They went ahead to field candidates for both the councillorship and chairmanship positions in all the 16 local government councils. During the campaign, they all went out and moved across all the 109 wards and councils headquarters canvassing for votes and mobilising the people to vote for them.
They all promised good governance at the grass roots and good representation that would transform the rural communities into a viable economic prosperity. The campaigns came to an end two days to the election in line with the rules and guidelines that guided the conduct of the local government elections in the state.
Also, to make the council poll violence-free and peaceful atmosphere, about 4,000 men of the state police command were deployed across the 16 local government councils. This is in addition to the deployment of civil defence corps and other military personnel that helped to maintain peace during the election.
Before the election, the state police command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi spoke with our correspondent. He said that the police were fully ready for the poll. He said the police were fully set to ensure a hitch free councils poll in the state. He however warned that, the state police command would not condone any act capable of threatening the peaceful conduct of the poll.
Also, the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed held a security meeting with all the members of the security council in the state to esnure that adequate security was provided to voters during the poll.
Ahmed said that, the move was to ensure that the council election held without any hitch.
The security agencies in attendance at the security meeting with the governor included Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and Nigeria Air Force.
The political parties also signed a peace pact with the state independent electoral commission and security agencies promising to ensure that their members conduct themselves peacefully during the elections.
As early as 9.00 a.m on the day of the elections, voters were seen, trooping out enmasse to be part of the election. They came out in large numbers to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice so as to bring needed socio economic growth to the people of the grassroots. Most of the polling units visited on that day showed the presence of security agents and other security agencies, protecting voters that came out to exercise their franchise
The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki arrived his polling unit, Ode-Opobiyi polling unit around 2.p.m and cast his vote He described the poll as peaceful and the turn-out of the voters as unprecedented in the political history of the state.
The state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed cast his vote at Aponbiepo polling centre, Share in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
An All Progressives Congress ( APC) chieftain, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje voted at a polling centre in Baboko in Ilorin West Local Council Area.
The Speaker of the state house of assembly, Mr Ali Ahmad also cast his vote at his Balogun Fulani Ward 3. He expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the poll.
The National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi also voted at his Ubadanwaki ward, commended the state Independent electoral body for providing a level playing ground for the election.
However, announcing the results of the election, the state chairman of the independent electoral commission, Dr. Uthman Ajidagaba declared chairmanship candidates of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) winners of the council elections in all the 16 local government areas of the state
He also announced that, the APC won 181 councilloship seats while the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) won 8.
He said that 4 councillorship seats were inconclusive in Ilorin West, Moro and Edu local government areas.
Following the announcement of the election results, scores of members of the PDP in the state staged a peaceful protest over the conduct and outcome of the poll.
The aggrieved party members alleged that, the elections were marred with manipulations, fraud and other electoral malpractices in all the 193 wards and 16 local government councils.
The state chairman of PDP Chief Iyiola Oyedepo who spoke at a press conference in Ilorin displayed scores of ballot papers seized from members of APC across the state which he alleged were used to rig‎. He said that some of the political leaders were defeated at their polling units.
Oyedepo, who called for the release of his members from police detention said his party did not believe in the results announced by KWASIEC adding that the party with its outstanding performance had made strong statement ahead of the 2019 elections.
He said the opposition members were battle ready to unseat the present government in 2019 elections adding that the outcome of the local governments elections which would further be improved on,‎ were testimonies to that fact.
However, the Secretary to the State Government , Alhaji Isiaka Gold, in a statement condemned the protests and called on all citizens and residents of the state to remain calm and law abiding and accept the results of the elections
The state government commended the peaceful conduct of the local government elections and urged all law abiding citizens to abide by the release of the official results of the elections.
Also,the state police command in a statement by its spokesperson, urged parents and guardians to caution their wards against being involved in any unlawful protest.
While urging law abiding citizens to go about their normal activities without fear, he said security agencies were on standby to forestall any threat to public peace no matter the intentions or identity of those behind such actions.
Meanwhile, about 54 people were later paraded by the state police command for the protest against the conduct and outcome of the election.
The defeat of some of the leaders of the ruling APC in the state at their various polling units by the opposition, PDP, has continued to unsettle the leadership of the party in the state.
The leadership of the APC was said to be disturbed despite the fact that it made adequate resources available for the election.
The outcome of the poll has also brought about a serious political dimension in the state in view of the perceived rejuvenation of the opposition PDP.
The party has been able to spring surprises in some of the wards across the state in view of the performances of the PDP during the election despite the fact that the party remained factionalized in the state. Many believe that the party would have done better if there had been a level-playing field for the political parties.
The performances of the party has led to the defeat of some leaders of the ruling APC in their wards especially in some local government council like llorin West, Ilorin East, Baruten, Kaima, Oke-Ero, Isin among others.
By and large, the leadership of the APC will have to return to the drawing board ahead of the 2019 general elections because the local government elections showed that the PDP was poised to give the ruling APC a run for its money in future elections.
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Following the announcement of the election results, scores of members of the PDP in the state staged a peaceful protest over the conduct and outcome of the poll.
