Kwara LG Elections: Ishowo Raises Concerns Over Candidates’ Silence on Manifestoes
By Omowumi Omotosho
As the local government elections in Kwara State draw near, concerns are escalating over the candidates’ reluctance to present their plans and agendas for grassroots development.
Despite the release of the campaign calendar by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC), candidates from various political parties, including the APC, PDP, and SDP, have yet to reveal their manifestos and strategies to the public.
Public affairs analyst Comrade Ishowo Olanrewaju has expressed disappointment with this trend, labeling it unacceptable for candidates to remain silent on their intentions.
Olanrewaju emphasized that the lack of communication from the candidates has led to doubts about their dedication to addressing the people’s needs.
“How can they expect people to vote for them when they don’t know what they stand for? We want a local government that will be independent and drive development, not just for its sake,” he said.
He called on the candidates to be transparent and share their plans with the electorate, stating, “They need to show us their agenda, what they have for us, what they can do better. They can’t just assume leadership without telling us how they plan to drive development at the grassroots.”
Olanrewaju also urged the candidates to actively engage with voters, stressing, “We want to see their capacity to lead and drive development. We want to know if they have what it takes to move our local governments forward.”
Additionally, he questioned the candidates’ approaches to critical areas like agriculture, community development, basic education, security, local government autonomy, and open governance.
The analyst also praised the Offa Descendants’ Union for organizing a town hall meeting for the Offa Local Government Chairmanship candidates, titled “Offa Agenda for Political and Socio-economic Stability.”
“This is a commendable move,” Olanrewaju remarked. “It’s a challenge to other local governments to engage those who will represent them and hear from them directly. It’s an opportunity for the candidates to tell the people what they have to offer and for the people to ask questions and hold them accountable.”
The local government elections in Kwara State are slated for September 21, 2024.
