Date: 2018-11-16

The Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government has threatened to sack any civil servant who refuses to vote for the party in the November 17, by-election in Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke -ero federal constituency of Kwara.

Some of the civil servants who spoke on condition of anonymity said there had been several calls to civil servants to vote the PDP candidate or they lose their job.

The concerned civil servants stated that they were asked to either vote for the PDP candidate or forfeit their job, stressing that such calls were becoming recurring. They noted that this development had created tension among the civil servants in the state.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) viewed this development as undemocratic, draconian and tyrannical and a threat to the country's democratic sustenance. "We believe that workers have the inalienable right to vote the candidate of their choice in any election and should not be coerced into voting against their wishes," he said. According to the statement, these are the same workers who are being owed several months of unpaid salaries, wages and allowances. "Some of these workers have been on the same level for several years without promotion, some cannot afford a good life because of the grave neglect from the state government," the statement said. The APC called on the civil servants not to be intimidated or coerced into voting against their conscience, adding that harassing voters is now their stock in trade after gross non performance. The statement called on civil servants to liberate themselves from the evil of Kwara State government and the PDP by trooping out en-mass to vote for the APC in the by-election. "We assure all civil servants in the state that they will be fully compensated and get all their promotion when the APC takes over the state in 2019," the statement added.