Date: 2019-01-18

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday expressed worries over the spate of political violence in Kwara state.

INEC added the recent political violent attacks in Ilorin, the state capital were disturbing and worrisome.

The state INEC's Resident Electoral Commissioner, Garba Attahiru said this at the signing of a peace accord by political parties organised by the commission.

Attahiru added that the commission registered 1.4 million voters in the state, adding 1.1 million had collected their Permanent Voter's Cards (PVCs).

The INEC boss assured of the preparedness of the commission to conduct free, fair and credible election in the state.

He said that the "Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is in existence as result of political parties. No INEC without political parties and I urge all political parties to talk to their supporters to follow rules and regulations of the game.

"It is God that gives power and power is for service delivery to the people. We should desist from campaign of calumny and engage in issue based campaigns."

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner of police Bashir Makama said the command had arrested some unidentified number of political thugs in connection with the recent attacks in the state.

Makama also threatened to arrest political parties’ leaders whose members are found to be fomenting trouble in the state.

No fewer than 23 representatives of the political parties eventually appended their signatures to the peace accord.

Two factions initially showed up for the All Progressives Congress (APC) but the court-recognised Ishola Balogun-Fulani faction eventually left even before the commencement of the programme.

This left the National Working Committee-recognised Bashir Bolarinwa to sign the accord on behalf of the APC.

The exclusion of the Balogun-Fulani faction from the important exercise appears to have rested the rumour the INEC will recognise its candidates in the coming polls in Kwara, thereby confirming AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the governorship candidate of the party especially that his candidature did not form a part of the issues decided in the court case by the Balogun-Fulani faction.

Balogun-Fulani is a known follower of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his decision to remain in the APC had long been called an attempt to destabilise the opposition.