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Kwara PDP Rejects Outcome Of LG Poll, Calls For Fresh Elections
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kwara State has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s Local Government election in the State, describing it as a desecration of democracy, a waste of taxpayers’ money and an elevation of fraud to heights never witnessed before in the state.
The PDP accused the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, of connivance with the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) to manipulate the local government election and subvert the people’s will.
The Party, in a statement issued on Monday, September 23, 2024, in Ilorin, called for immediate cancellation of the election and conduct of a fresh poll, or it will explore legal means to restore what it describes as the stolen mandate of the people.
It, however, called for a properly constituted tribunal to be headed by a judge of the High Court, as required by the law, rejecting the one set up by the Abdulrazaq administration for falling short of constitutional stipulation.
The statement signed by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, berated KWSIEC for allowing itself to be used in the conduct of a shoddy election, which denied over 85% of the electorates their right to vote in polling units across the 16 local government areas of the state.
The statement read, “The crude manner in which the ruling APC government, in connivance with a highly compromised Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), usurped the people’s mandate to elect their local leaders has left Kwarans frustrated and aggrieved.
“KWSIEC’s actions on election day not only fell short of the minimum global standards expected of an election umpire but also openly facilitated and participated in the desecration of democracy that occurred across Kwara State.
“Elections did not take place in about 85% of polling units and wards across the 16 local government areas of the state. The people rejected an orchestrated plot to use the few ballot papers released to some polling units as a basis for authenticating a premeditated outcome.”
The PDP said contrary to the declaration by KWSIEC that the APC won, the PDP won in the few areas where the election was held, but it was cancelled, and officials were forced to announce the APC candidates as the winners.
The party, however, thanked its members, supporters and the good people of Kwara State for turning out en masse to exercise their civil rights as it called for fresh polls by the state government or force the party to seek legal intervention.
