Date: 2017-11-02

A High Court in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Tuesday, fixed November 8, 2017 to hear the suit brought before it by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and three other political parties, challenging the conduct of the forthcoming local government election slated for November 18, National Pilot can authoritatively report.

Confirming the date for the hearing to this medium, last night, counsel to the PDP, Barr. Sambo Murtala from Jawondo chambers said the new development was the outcome of the decision of the court on Tuesday. The case is to be handled by Justice Halima Saleeman.

In a telephone chat with Murtala last night, he said all the concerned parties in the suit have been served the court processes adding that, "We got the date from the High Court on Tuesday and it will now come up on Wednesday November 8th, 2017.

"We have served all the parties involved, the court processes, the Governor through the Justice Ministry and Chairman of Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), Dr Uthman Ajidagba, personally. We also served the commission separately," he added.

All efforts to get Ajidagba's reaction to the issue last night proved abortive as several calls and text message sent to his telephone line were not answered or replied before the paper went to bed.

The state chapter of the PDP and the other affected political parties had dragged Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and the chairman of KWSIEC to court in a suit challenging the competence of Ajidagba, to superintend the council poll.

The other disaffected parties are allegedly the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Kowa Party (KP) and the Labour Party (LP).

Speaking on the issue last night, the state chairman of ADP, Comrade Adeshina Ajisafe said the party is ready to make necessary sacrifice to improve the political process in the state. The suit numbered (KWS/350/2017) was filed on the parties' behalf last Wednesday.

The complainants are praying the court to determine whether or not the participation of Dr. Ajidagba in a radio programme, APC Gberede, sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Harmony FM Radio Station, Idofian, is justifiable.

The suit also wants the court to determine whether it was right for Dr. Ajidagba to have gone to the radio station to respond to allegations of bias levelled against him by the PDP on September 21.

According to him, the KWSIEC Chairman's alleged participation in the radio program carries the strong possibility of bias against the four political parties in the forthcoming council polls adding that if the answers to his prayers are in the affirmative, the court should declare KWSIEC and Ajidgaba as incapable of conducting credible elections, given his affiliation to the ruling APC.

The applicants' lawyer is also seeking an order directing Gov Ahmed to remove Dr. Ajidagba as KWSIEC Chairman and replace him with a credible person to conduct the poll.c