By Mahmood Olayinka Alaya
Few hours to the conduct of elections across the sixteen local government areas, the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) says it is fully prepared for the polls.
It added that 7000 applicants engaged as ad-hoc workers during the elections have been trained while arrangement is also being made for elections to be hitch free.
The Chairman, Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), Mr Okanla Baba, disclosed this in Ilorin while featuring on the 43rd Media Parliament of the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Addressing the media parliament, the KWSIEC chairman said staff of the commission and its ad-hoc staff would supervise the elections across the 193 wards of the state.
Alhaji Baba told the gathering that five political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Accord Party and Allied People’s Movement (APM) would participate in the council elections.
Meanwhile, heads of security agencies in the State engaged in strategic meetings to ensure peaceful local government council elections in the state.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, noted that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, had assured the public of maximum security ahead of the local government elections.
According to her, in a bid to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections, the command has made thorough security arrangements to guarantee a peaceful, free, and fair process across all polling units in the state, appealing to the people of the state to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperate fully with security personnel on duty.
Also, the Kwara State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dispatched 3000 of its personnel to provide security for the elections.
The command said its personnel that would be deployed for the polls would be drawn from the State Command, Area Commands, and Divisional Offices, adding that the officers would man various polling units and synchronize efforts with other sister security agencies to ensure that the elections were peacefully conducted.
He emphasized that the corps would not tolerate any form of political thuggery, violence, or hooliganism.
He added that officers from the Anti-Vandal Unit and the Critical National Assets and Infrastructure Department would be deployed to monitor and protect government assets to ensuring that vandals do not target them for attacks during the elections.
Umar appealed to political parties and citizens to cooperate fully with security agencies and avoid any action that could undermine the polls.
Similarly, the Customs Area Controller, Kwara Area Command, Comptroller FM Ojeifo has urged officers deployed for the local government election in the state to remain apolitical.
Comptroller Ojeifor while addressing officers of the command ahead of the poll at the parade ground, advised them to be neutral and exhibit professionalism before, during and after the election.
He emphasized the need for them to be responsible, diligent and peaceful
The custom boss also advised officers to be Unbiased, fair-minded and objective irrespective of political affiliation, warning them to shun bribery.
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