By Mumini AbdulKareem
The Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission has said it has not decided on the conduct of bye- election for the recently conducted local government election in the state.
In a telephone chat with National Pilot last night, Chairman of the commission, Dr Uthman Ajidagba told our reporter that KWSIEC is yet to decide on the issue adding that the commission will make such arrangement public.
““We have not decided on the conduct of the bye-election for the last local government election in the state. When we are ready, we will let you know,” Ajidagba added.
Speaking on the issue, a source at the commission said KWSIEC will meet with relevant stakeholders including the state government before a date can be fixed for the election.
Some polling units in Adewole, Ilorin West local government is among areas where election were declared inconclusive.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the poll, Comrade Musbaudeen Esinrogunjo had complained against the issuance of certificate of return to the All Progressives Congress (APC)candidate, Hajia Aminat Omodara since KWSIEC was still planning bye-election in some polling units.
In a letter to the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Lawan Ado, Esinrogunjo noted that “the electoral umpire deliberately refused to conduct election in all the 17 Polling Units in Adewole Ward. But information reaching us indicates that KWASIEC is planning to re-conduct election in only three (3) selected units out of 17.
He had appealed to the CP to in the spirit of fairness, equity and social justice, to as a matter of urgency stop the purported election.
He called for the exercise to be held in all the 17 polling units where election didn’t hold so as not to “deliberately disenfranchise our people from exercising their franchise in line with international best practices”.
