By Bukola Adama and Ahmed Ajikobi
To ensure a hitch free local government election on Saturday, the Kwara State Police Command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed 5,500 officers across polling units in the state.
The security agencies made the disclosure to this medium in separate interviews at their offices, yesterday.
Aside the 3,000 officers from the state Command, the police also plans to secure support from neighbouring Kogi and Ekiti states for the poll.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi added that, the Commissioner of Police, Ado Lawan will lead other officers in ensuring a violence-free election in Kwara.
Okasanmi said the police and other security agencies have been holding meetings as regard the exercise for three weeks.
According to him, the Command, NSCDC and military officers on Tuesday met with the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), political parties and candidates on security strategy.
He said, the political parties were given a form of undertaken to sign towards ensuring a peaceful election.
“If they wish to hear the result, they can give like 300 meters to the voting arena peacefully be looking at what is happening.”
In the same vein, the newly deployed Commandant of NSCDC, Kwara State Command, Adeyinka Fasiu said 2,500 men will be deployed and officers for the election.
Fasiu added that his command is going to put some surveillance men in place and the monitoring team.
He said there are 1,872 polling units and 193 wards adding that his officers are going to cover all areas in collaboration with other security agencies.
Also, the Ag. Commander of 22 Armour Brigade, Col. Ola Falade said his Command will join other security agencies in ensuring a peaceful election.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has charged the people of the state to come out en mass to exercise their franchise on Saturday.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Governor, Dr. Muideen Akorede made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting.
He said the state government appreciates the efforts of security agents while also urging them to work towards ensuring a rancour free election.
…why PDP shunned signing of peace accord – Oyedepo
By Mumini AbdulKareem
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to its absence at the signing of the peace accord for political parties and individuals that will take part in the local government election scheduled for Saturday.
The signing of the peace accord was the first of its kind in the state for parties taking part in the local government election.
Over 15 parties will take part in the exercise.
The peace accord was initiated by the Security Consultative Committee for the 2017 local government election in Kwara, headed by the Police Commissioner, Lawan Ado in conjunction with the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC).
Lawan said majority of the political parties had signed the peace accord, adding that the absence of the PDP would not vitiate the document.
Ado expressed the readiness of the command to ensure that the election was peaceful in all the 193 wards across the state.
But reacting to the issue yesterday, the newly-elected Chairman of the PDP in Kwara, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, said his party was unable to attend the event because it coincided with the party’s state congress.
Recall that the PDP concluded its state congress, which began Monday on Tuesday.
He however expressed readiness to participate fully in the exercise.
“The event coincided with our party’s congress, that was the reason we were unable to make it but we are ready as a party to fully participate in the election,” Oyedepo said.
…court to determine KWSIEC boss’ fate, today
By Kayode Adeoti
A High Court in Ilorin, will today determine whether the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC)’s chairman, Alhaji Uthman Ajidagba will be the one to conduct the much awaited council poll on Saturday.
The trial judge, Justice Haliman Saleeman has adjourned the judgement of the suit challenging the competency of the commission’s boss to conduct free and fair election in the state.
No fewer than four opposition parties namely; the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Kowa Party (KP) and Labour Party (LP) have filed a suit in court asking the state Governor Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to replace Ajidagba on the basis of incompetency.
In the suit before the court, they posited that the commission boss featured in a radio programme sponsored by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) adding that the action portends great danger to credibility and fairness of the local government poll.
They want the court to determine “whether or not the act of the 2nd respondent having come to Harmony FM radio station on 28 September, 2017 on the platform of APC called ‘APC Gberede’ in company of Alhaji Sulyman Buhari and Barr. Lanre Giwa to respond to allegation of bias levelled against him in the same station on the platform of PDP on 21st September, 2017.”
They further sought an order of the court to ‘direct the Governor to remove the commission boss and replace him with credible candidate who will be fit and proper to perform credible elections in Kwara state’
But at the last adjourned date, the counsel to Governor Ahmed, Barr. Gegele challenged the counsel for the PDP that he has failed to show the court he got the nod of other opposition parties to institute the case.
He, however, urged the court to key into his argument thereby striking out the case.
In his response, counsel to the PDP, Murtala Sambo submitted that he has written addresses filed against the 2nd and 3rd respondents on November 17th urging the court to admit it.
He added that initiating the suit as at the time he did was apt, adding that was the time ‘a reasonable man (PDP) suspected that the 2nd respondent conducting the poll, will not be fair.
Meanwhile, the KWSIEC Chairman, Dr. Uthman Ajidagba on Tuesday dispelled report in an online medium that he has concluded plans to depart to China after the council poll.
Ajidagba, according to the report, was rumoured to be contemplating running to China after he must have declared fake results in the election.
“This is a baseless rumour, highly frivolous and an exaggeration of falsehood”, he said.
Ajidagba however assured the electorate of a free, fair and transparent election come Saturday November 18.
He assured electorate of early arrival of election materials to Polling Units in the Saturday’s Local Government election.
Ajidagba disclosed that there would be no question of late arrival of election materials, pointing out that vehicles, motorcycles, boats and donkeys and other logistics have been provided to convey election materials to the nooks and crannies of the state.
He emphasised that both accreditation and voting would take place simultaneously between 8 am to 3 pm and urged prospective voters to be punctual in their respective polling centre.
Ajidagba disclosed that only those who have their names in the Voter register given to the Commission by INEC with Permanent Voting card would be allowed to vote.
