Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has commended the people of Kwara State for the courage they demonstrated, against all odds, in sending a clear signal of rejection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration led by Mr. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq during the last Saturday’s local government election.
In a statement signed by his Press Officer on Political Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, Saraki noted that even though the Kwara State Government in collaboration with its State Electoral Commission announced different results from what obtained at the numerous polling units across the 16 local government areas of the state, the people rose above partisan consideration to take a stand against bad governance.
“In a manner that went beyond partisan consideration and gave expression to the protection of community interests, people from Kwara mobilised themselves to the polling units and met the absence of electoral officials and shoddy preparations by the electoral body.
“Yet the people stood firm against the deliberately concocted frustrations. In some areas, the votes were heavily stacked against APC candidates. In other areas, the voters stood against a system in which less than ten percent of the ballot papers were supplied to polling units for the huge number of accredited voters with no result sheets supplied, amongst other inadequacies.
“Whatever results the electoral body eventually declared, our people have sent a clear signal to a government that has not made any significant, positive impact on their lives after 64 months in office. It is a shame that the 16 local government areas now have chairmen and councilors who would be in office without legitimacy and people’s mandate.
“Kwarans have demonstrated that democracy is about the people and any government that refused to serve the purpose for which it was elected will be voted out.
“The people of Kwara State deserve to be praised for demonstrating how politically savvy, sophisticated, and discerning they are. A government that continuously takes the people for granted will get its deserved result at the polls.
“I join numerous Kwarans to thank and commend the various political parties, community development associations, youth groups, religious bodies, and others who form the core of the democratic action that we witnessed on Saturday. May God bless you all.
“Let me also acknowledge that our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fielded candidates for chairmanship and councilorship seats who are very popular in their respective communities and acceptable to the people. This made it easier for the people to rally round them. I congratulate these candidates for making themselves available for people to use in expressing their preference.
“The good people of Kwara State spoke loud and clear last Saturday. Those who can listen heard them too. Once again, the people deserve our commendation and a big pat on the back. They demonstrated character, courage, clarity of vision, and conviction. It is yet a new dawn in Kwara State”, Saraki stated.
