In a bid to ensure the safety of lives and properties during the forthcoming local government elections across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state, the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) held a crucial meeting with various security agencies today. The meeting, which took place at the Commission’s headquarters, was attended by top officials from some main agencies in the state, including, the Commissioner of Police, CP Victor Olaiya of the Nigeria Police, Brigadier General O. D. William of Nigeria Army, the Department of State Security (DSS) and Commandant J. G. Umaru the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. Ilorin is command.
The Chairman of the State Electoral Commission, Mallam Okanla Baba emphasized the importance of collaboration between the electoral body and security agencies to guarantee a peaceful and orderly election. He highlighted past incidents of electoral violence and stressed that such occurrences must be prevented to uphold the integrity of the democratic process.
“We are committed to conducting free, fair, and credible elections. Ensuring the safety of voters, electoral staff, and materials is paramount. We need the full cooperation of all security agencies to achieve this,” Mallam Okanla stated.
The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Police Command, CP Victor Olaiya said that Police is the main stakeholder in election matters while other agencies are to support the police, even as he assured the Commission of the police’s readiness to deploy adequate personnel to all polling units and collation centers. He mentioned that special units will be mobilized to handle any potential threats and disturbances.
“We are prepared to ensure that the elections are conducted in a secure environment. Our officers will be on ground to prevent any form of violence or disruption. We urge all political actors to play by the rules and maintain peace,” said Commissioner Olaiya.
The meeting also saw input from the heads of other security agencies, including the General, Commander 22 Armed Brigade, Ilorin, Brigadier General and O. D. William who spoke on intelligence-gathering efforts to preempt any security challenges and reiterated that Army will provide security for all the staffs of the Commission as well as all law abiding citizens and electorates during the process of the election.
“We have been monitoring the situation closely and have identified potential hotspots. Our intelligence teams are working around the clock to ensure we stay ahead of any threats,” General William noted.
In conclusion, Mallam Okanla reiterated the Commission’s call for cooperation from all stakeholders, including political parties and their supporters, to ensure a smooth electoral process. He also appealed to the public to report any suspicious activities to the nearest security agency. He also said elections will hold at the said date by the grace of God
The Local Government elections are scheduled to hold on September 21, 2024,. The State Electoral Commission has assured the electorates that all necessary measures are being put in place to ensure their votes count in a peaceful and secure environment.
