The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had approached the court for “an order of injunction restraining the KWSIEC from conducting any election on the 26th day of October 2013 into the 16 Kwara State local government councils when a matter challenging the validity, legality and the constitutionality of the proposed election is sub judice and pending before the court for determination.

“And an order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and Independent Democrats – 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants – from holding out themselves or preventing themselves or participating in the October 26 proposed local government council election when the validity of their participation is a sub judice.”

In a one hour ruling, presiding justice, Justice Suleiman Kawu said: “The applicants have failed to satisfy me in stopping the conduct of the election.

“For this reason, the case is hereby dismissed.”

Kawu reasoned that, “It is almost impossible to grant the order of injunction without necessarily delving into the substantive case. I have no doubt in my mind that the applicants are guilty of delay as the case suffered several adjournments at their instance.”

He pointed out that the notice for the proposed election was given to the applicants in May, adding the applicants did not file their case until August.

In his reaction to the court judgement, an APC chieftain, Comrade Sola Iji said today’s council election would be a contest within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Yes, you read well. He said that.

According to Iji, “We have listened to the decision of the court in the application. What we expect is that opportunity should be given all the political parties to participate in election and that was why we came with this application; that was why we came to court in the first instance.

“Unfortunately, this will remain a contest between the PDP and the PDP; it is not a contest to test the popularity of political parties in the state, but an election that is going to be conducted purely for the PDP.

“We didn’t say we did not to participate, we wanted to participate. The ruling notice was given about five months ago, but the notice was given to CPC, ANPP and ACN, by July 31, the APC came alive.

In related news, the state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has debunked claims in some national newspapers (not The Guardian) that it will not field any candidate for tomorrow’s council polls.

According to state chairman, Isola Balogun Fulani at a Friday press briefing in Ilorin, the PDP did not only have candidates for all the 181 councillorship wards in the state, but have candidates for all the 15 chairmanship seats.

This is how he put it, “we are ready for the polls and we shall not allow any distraction to derail our preparations. Let all other contesting parties get set for the polls and stop this media lies about us.”