As the Independent State Electoral Commission, KWASIEC, has scheduled the local council polls for September 21, 2024, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced its readiness for the event. This declaration was made in a statement issued by the party’s spokesperson, Olusegun Olushola Adewara, in Ilorin on Saturday, following a general meeting with other political parties participating in the election. The meeting, held in the state capital of Ilorin, was attended by key representatives of the PDP, including the state chairman, Babatunde Mohammed, and the state party secretary, Abdulrahman Abdullahi Kayode.
Expressing their preparedness for the upcoming elections, the PDP confirmed that they have not requested any modifications to the election timetable previously provided by KWASIEC. The party emphasized its commitment to a transparent and timely electoral process and expressed confidence in its readiness to compete within the existing schedule.
In alignment with suggestions from other parties, the PDP advocated for affordable nomination fees for both councilorship and chairmanship aspirants. They proposed that the nomination fee for councilorship candidates should not exceed N50,000, and for chairmanship candidates, it should not exceed N200,000.
Despite attempts to reach the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aro Folaranmi, on Saturday, communication was unsuccessful. However, it was gathered that the APC set nomination fees at N100,000 for chairmanship aspirants and N25,000 for councilorship aspirants. The APC also announced the provision of free nomination forms for females and individuals with physical challenges, and hinted at a consensus arrangement within the party for the local councils’ polls.
The PDP urged KWASIEC to uphold its independence and ensure a fair and transparent electoral process, stressing that the commission, under Okanla’s leadership, must demonstrate that it will not be influenced by the ruling APC. The party emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of democratic processes and called for addressing any actions that may compromise this integrity with the utmost seriousness.