Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki has condemned the purported militarisation of Saturday’s Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections in Kwara State.
Speaking with newsmen after casting his vote alongside his wife, Toyin Saraki, at Ode Opobiyi polling unit 005, Ajikobi ward in Ilorin West local government area of the state,Saraki blamed the low turnout of voters on the heavy deployment of military and other security operatives for the exercise.
However, he commended the voters for their orderliness and peaceful conduct during the exercise.
It would be recalled that there has been a significant presence of military and paramilitary forces around Ilorin since Thursday.
Saraki, therefore urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to strictly use the card readers for the exercise.
Similarly, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Ali Ahmad has decried the low turnout of voters in Ilorin, the state capital.
Ahmad, who spoke with newsmen after he cast his vote at his Gbabiabidu polling unit 002 Balogun Fulani ward 3 Ilorin South said: “The turn out as I can see is not as commendable, is not as laudable as last week, but I think that people will still come out we will go out there and sensitise our people to come out and vote. I hope they will still come out and vote. The process so far is good.
” I feel very good as you can see everybody is discharging their duty as expected under the law we commend the electorate. The wish of the people shall prevail. Whichever way it goes, let the will of the people prevail.”
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
