Bukola Saraki, a former Senate President, responded to the local government chairmanship and councillorship elections conducted in all 16 council areas of Kwara state last Saturday.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state emerged victorious in all 16 local government areas, according to the announcement made by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) Chairman, Baba Okanla.
The APC secured victory in all 16 local government chairmanship positions and claimed all 193 councillorship seats.
In his remarks regarding the state electoral body’s announcement, Saraki, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed his belief that it is regrettable that the newly declared chairmen and councilors will assume office without the legitimacy and mandate of the people.
He stated that the public has conveyed a message to the government indicating that, after being in power for 64 months, it has failed to bring about any notable or beneficial changes in their lives.
The ex-governor of Kwara posited that citizens actively gathered at the polling stations for the local government elections only to encounter a lack of electoral officials and inadequate preparations by the electoral commission.
Saraki praised the populace for their resilience in the face of what he described as intentionally created obstacles and challenges.
He wrote, “Last Saturday, 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.
“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 councillors who would be in office without legitimacy and people’s mandate.”
