* describes electoral body as state govt’s stooge

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chided the State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) for its failure to kick start the local government electoral processes in February this year as it had earlier told the people of the state.

The PDP, in a statement issued in Ilorin on Sunday and signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments), said: “For the Commission to renege on its earlier February promise without any further explanation to the people affirmed that the KWASIEC, under the chairmanship of Alhaji Okanla Baba, has turned itself to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s tool, rather than the people’s institution.
Thus, it is losing public credibility to undertake LG electoral exercises that will be free, fair and acceptable to all Kwarans.

“This policy somersault, which is not the first time for KWASIEC, has already established the fear of all Kwarans and the position of Kwara PDP during the last public hearing on the LG amendment bill, which had been imposed as law on Kwara state that the AbdulRazaq-led APC government is not prepared to conduct LG elections in the state until year 2025.

“For the umpteenth time, our party hereby passes a vote of no confidence in the Okanla-led KWASIEC and calls for its immediate dissolution, failure of which the party will be forced to take legal action to rectify these anomalies and planned rape on grassroots democracy.

“No Kwaran will sit back comfortably and watch KWASIEC, which had pledged its loyalty to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and promised never to disappoint him, be a referee on LG elections in the state.

“Meanwhile, the Kwara PDP is displeased with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for deliberately failing to conduct LG elections for over four years of his administration, thereby crippling governance at that level and subjecting grassroots communities to untold hardship, rampant insecurity, and avoidable hunger.

“Just like the people of Kwara, we are deeply disappointed that a man who rode on the Otoge (Change) mantra and prides himself as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum could exhibit such impunity and affront on Nigerian law. We make bold to say that the Nigerian Governors Forum of this dispensation will continue to lose her reputation and national acceptability if a man who continues to illegally usurp the administration of 16 LGAs with reckless impunity is now the symbol of such an exalted forum in Nigeria.

“In conclusion, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) to exercise their executive power and halt further disbursement of monthly allocations due to the 16 LG areas in Kwara which is the major reason LGAs have been under siege. This action will not only compel Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to promptly conduct LG elections in the state but also help in breathing a sense of relief and restore peace and order to our people at the grassroots.”