The Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) for its handling of the upcoming September 21 local council polls timetable.
State Secretary of the main opposition party, Abdullah Kayode Abdulrahman, voiced the party’s concerns on Tuesday at a one-day pre-election stakeholders forum organized by KWASIEC at Fresh Hotel in Ilorin, the state capital.
Abdullahi expressed concern over the commission’s decision to extend the timetable twice, which he said had disrupted the initial procedures released by the commission.
He urged KWASIEC to communicate the new timetable to not only the registered political parties but also the general public, stating that the public did not expect such actions from the commission.
“There is nothing worth commending yet in the activities of KWASIEC,” said Abdullahi, questioning the authority under which the commission extended the timetable.
He also urged the commission to caution its yet-to-be-employed ad-hoc staff, electoral officers (EOs), and assistant electoral officers (AEOs) to remain neutral before, during, and after the local government elections.
Abdullahi warned the commission against allowing the ruling party, APC, to recruit ad-hoc staff on their behalf, emphasizing the importance of neutrality in the election process.
He stressed that this would ensure a free, fair, and credible election, unhindered by partisan interference.
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