Politics

LGs Poll: Parties, civil groups call for KWSIEC boss’ resignation

Some political parties and civil groups in the state under the aegis of Like Minds Coalition have called for the resignation of the chairman of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), Alhaji Uthman AbdulRahman Ajidagba from presiding over the conduct of the local government election slated for November 18, 2017.
The group which held a rally in Ilorin, yesterday said it rejected the KWSIEC boss for allegedly hobnobbing with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) few weeks to the election and called for his resignation.
But Ajidagba challenged his accusers to produce evidence to back up their claim adding that he is not a politician and was never sympathetic to any political party.
Briefing newsman at the Unity Roundabout, one of the spokesmen for the group and former factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyiola Oyedepo said the coalition consist of interest groups in the state adding that they are united in the call for good and improved governance.
According to him, the rally was done to demonstrate their rejection against some obnoxious policies of government adding that the coming council election will be a test ground for selecting credible candidates that will push Kwara forward.
“This is demonstration of our willingness to change the status quo and we want to test it in the coming November 18 council election.
“We are rejecting vehemently the chairman of the commission to conduct the election. He went on air to tell the whole world in Yoruba that only the rich and those that have the means must be favoured in the coming election. We believe somebody that is so partial cannot operate an impartial election.
“The PDP is already in court and we believe the court will do justice. We believe we will sweep the poll because we would have gotten him removed and put somebody that can be fair and more amenable. This is not a PDP affair but a coalition of groups and forces,” he stated.
Also in his remarks, a member of the coalition, Omar Yusuf Ayelabegan said the community should be wary of those to be voted in the coming council election in order to promote and enshrine good governance.
Also reacting to the allegation of alleged partisanship of the KWSIEC boss, the state chapter of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in a statement signed by its state Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Elder Abolude Samuel and Alhaji Abdullahi Bada respectively, advised Ajidagba to retrace his steps and serve the people of the state with utmost dignity.
“We are amazed and disgusted for what we heard on a radio station about what the chairman of KWSIEC said. First, it is very wrong for him to have gone with the APC to say anything on the upcoming election.
“It means KWSIEC chairman has taken side with the ruling party and the statement that, ‘he who has the soup is the one you take your pap to’ was biased and pregnant with meaning.”
But reacting to the issue in his office on Tuesday, Ajidagba denied he ever appeared in an APC-sponsored programme adding that such action is unethical.
He then challenged his accusers to produce any evidence of him appearing on APC sponsored programme.
“That allegation is unfounded and uncharitable. In fact let them come up with concrete evidence as regards that.
“The disturbing thing is that since the allegation was made, I expected the media house concerned to have debunked the allegation. How would I go and appear in a political sponsored programme. That is not it and I don’t even have the time.
“I am not a politician or card carrying member of any political party and I am not sympathetic to any of them. I am a lecturer and if it is the wish of God that I go back to lecturing…. This is another design to give a dog a bad name to hang it. We should realise that there is nothing we do that can satisfy anybody that is disgruntled.
“If there was anything aired on radio, it must be a recorded programme. When they said they heard my voice, why didn’t they call to challenge the management of the station? It is even unethical to bring me to a party’s sponsored programme,” he added.
It was gathered that the KWSIEC boss’ recorded response to some of the issues raised by some of the political parties was aired in the sponsored programme which caused the uproar.
As at the time of filing this report, the motive for airing Ajidagba’s response during the programme by the radio station is yet to be confirmed.

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