Kwara LG poll: PDP accuses SIEC of withholding guidelines

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has expressed scepticism about the readiness of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) to conduct local government elections.

The party said its concern arose from the commission’s delay in releasing election guidelines to political parties.

The KWSIEC recently announced a timetable for the local government election scheduled for September 21, 2024. This is coming nearly nine years since the last council poll was held in the state, prompting apprehension among political parties, particularly the opposition PDP.

Speaking to journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, the state chairman of the party, Babatunde Mohammed, said that despite the timetable, the KWSIEC had not provided any election guideline to political parties. The PDP formally requested the guidelines on June 28 and has reiterated this request, both in writing and orally, since then.

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However, he clarified that the PDP had no intention of boycotting the election and urged the KWSIEC to ensure a fair and level-playing field for all participating political parties, while calling on the chairman of the electoral body to clarify the commission’s preparedness.

Responding to inquiries from Daily Trust on Wednesday evening, the chairman of KWSIEC, Alhaji Baba Okanla, acknowledged that the commission had not yet issued guidelines to any political party.

He attributed this delay to requests from parties for an extension of time to conduct their primaries.

“We intend to provide all political parties with guidelines once they apply for nomination forms, which will guide them on electoral rules and regulations,” Okanla said.