Kwara LG polls: PDP rejects results as APC clears all seats

Leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday stormed the office of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) protesting against the outcome of the local government election held at the weekend which favoured the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The protesters besieged the electoral body’s headquarters in Ilorin, the state capital, as […]

Leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday stormed the office of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) protesting against the outcome of the local government election held at the weekend which favoured the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The protesters besieged the electoral body’s headquarters in Ilorin, the state capital, as early as 7am, with banners and placards rejecting the results of the election amidst tight security.

This was after the chairman of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), Mohammed Baba-Okanla, declared all candidates of the APC as winners of the LG elections conducted on Saturday in the state.

Daily Trust reports that APC, APM, PDP, SDP and Accord Party, participated in the election which took place across the 16 local government areas and 193 wards of the state.

Announcing the results in the wee hours of yesterday, at the commission’s office, the KWSIEC boss said, “After meticulous collation and verification, the APC has emerged victorious in all categories. Specifically, the APC has won all 16 LG chairmanship positions. The party has also secured all 193 councilorship seats.

“We commend political parties for their commitment to a peaceful election, which did not record any major casualty and the people of Kwara State for trooping out en masse to exercise their civic rights.

“We also like to appreciate security agencies for ensuring peace and orderliness throughout the voting process in a professional manner.”

But briefing newsmen during the protest, a chieftain of the PDP and former chairman of the LG Service Commission, Hajia Sarat Adebayo, described the election as “a rape of democracy.”

“In the election that was conducted on Saturday, PDP won the 16 chairmanship and 193 councillorship seats, but today, to our dismay, they announced the APC. The announcement does not reflect the wishes of the people.

“KWSIEC must announce the rightful winner because we have the real result and we won the election. What they did yesterday was to withhold the real result to declare a manipulated process,” she said.

Daily Trust reports that there was also a protest in Offa on Sunday as PDP members marched across major roads in the town.

At a press conference in Offa, the chairmanship candidate of the PDP, Hon Salaudeen Lukman, described the election as a “daylight robbery” and demanded a rescheduling of the exercise.

But the special adviser to the governor on politics, Hon. Femi Whyte, who addressed newsmen in company of the APC candidate-elect, Alhaji Olanrewaju Suleiman, dismissed the allegations.