Date: 2014-08-18

It is necessary to bring to the attention of all freedom loving Kwarans that Bukola Saraki and his All Progressive Congress have unleashed their election rigging apparatus on peace loving Kwarans who are clamouring for change.

Reports reaching the Kwara Restoration Project (KRP) indicate that Bukola and his gang are presently perpetrating heinous crimes against the good people of Kwara. The good news though is that the young people of this state are standing firm.

In many polling units across the five local governments of Ilorin Emirate in particular; Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, Asa, and Moro, all the attempts by Bukola and his gang to manipulate the system were futile as he was met by the firm resolve of a people that have had enough of his maladministration and corruption. His field officers like Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Commissioner for Energy - Musa Abdullahi, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Empowerment -Saka Babatunde, House of Representative member - Ali Ahmad and many others too numerous to mention were seen by our field officers inducing NYSC corps members posted to the polling units and making frantic efforts to manipulate the system before election day.

Some of the atrocities allegedly perpetrated by Bukola and his gang as seen by our field officers are:

1. The use of dead voters' cards by APC agents to collect the permanent voters’ cards

2. Impersonation of other voters that is aimed at collecting cards that were unclaimed

3. Rampant collection by proxy

4. Chasing away of opposition party agents by APC thugs in some areas within Ilorin West LGA. In particular, Ode Agbaji where Bukola Saraki hails from.

5. INEC Ad hoc Staff members compromised: Some of the corps members serving as INEC ad hoc staff members were compromised to the tune of N100, 000 each to co – operate with APC. This way, APC also aims to mop up unclaimed voters cards.

6. Inducement of INEC Electoral Officers: Our field officers alleged that they have information that the leadership of APC in Kwara state has directed the 16 Local Government Chairmen to pay the sum of N2.4 million to personal accounts of INEC Electoral Officers in their respective councils. The alleged bribe, according to our field officers was to allow APC unrestricted access to INEC voters register even after the expiration of the continuous voters’ registration to allow continuous update of the register in favour of the APC. The electoral officers will under this arrangement allow APC to register fictitious as well as under aged members during the continuous voters’ registration period beginning August 20 and ending on the 25th of August 2014.

7. As a prelude to the February 2015 election in Kwara state, Kwara Restoration Project can confirm authoritatively that Bukola Saraki and his agents have an arrangement with the Electoral Officers in the 16 LGAs in which the Electoral Officers will be placed on a N250, 000 monthly salary each - chargeable on the Local Government accounts from now till after the 2015 general elections

8. Violence and Thuggery: As witnessed by our field officers, Bukola and his gang unleashed violence on the peace loving people of Isale Maliki, Ode Belgore and some other areas within the Ilorin South local government area of Kwara state during this PVC collection exercise.

Specifically on the 15th of August, 2014, the first day of collection - when it became apparent that APC members were very insignificant in number. All of these aggression and violence were aimed at intimidating the good people of Kwara and dissuading them from collecting their permanent voters’ cards.

We at the Kwara Restoration Project are appealing to freedom, change and peace loving Kwarans to remain firm and resolute in the face of provocation by Bukola and his gang. No amount of intimidation will change the tide of history.

We are also calling on the Commissioner of Police, Kwara state command, the Director, State Security Service, Kwara state and the Brigade Commander, Sobi Barracks, to collectively put machinery in place to protect Kwarans from rampaging Bukola thugs during the forthcoming continuous voters’ registration exercise from the 20th – 25 August, 2014. All we ask for is a level playing field.

Fellow Kwarans, we shall overcome.

Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi writes from Ilorin