From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission (KESIEC) has disagreed with the main opposition party in the state, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it’s Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad Mera is a card carrying member of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Commissioner IV in charge of Information and Communication, Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad Kaura D. Zagga, made the position of the Commission known during a press conference to debunk the PDP allegations levelled against the Commission’s Chairman.
Zagga, who explained the readiness of the KESIEC to provide a level playing ground to all political parties in the state ahead of the August 31 LGAs election,noted that, the Commission would conduct free and fair election that would be adjudged best in the history of the State.
According to him, ” he is not card carrying member of APC. I have told you that the same members of the Commission conducted local government elections in 2017 and 2019 and they are the same members of the Commission. I am giving you an example in Kangiwa local government. The then APC State Chairman, Bala Sani Kangiwa was from that area and in his own ward, he lost to the other parties and the winners was given certificate of returns.
” So, I am assuring you that all political parties that registered with this Commission with the intension to participate and contest in the August 31 local government election in the state would be free playing ground and the election will be free and fair.
“So, political parties should not be afraid or fear”.
Zagga explained that in 2019 LGA poll,17 candidates of the opposition political parties won various positions and they were given certificate of returns.
“All I can tell you all is that they should not be fear,we are going to conduct credible election,free and fair and whoever won,will be declared winners and given certificate of returns irrespective of their political parties”.
He added that the election would take place in 3,743 polling units across the state stressed that the Commission would deployed one Presiding officer and one ad-hoc staff to each of the polling after their might have gone through series of training.
It could be recalled that the Kebbi State chairman of PDP,Alhaji Bello Usman Suru at a press conference confirmed that his party would not participate in the poll due to the allegation that KESIEC Chairman is a member of APC.
According to him, “the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission and All the Commissioners are Card Carrying Members of APC in Kebbi State: therefore organizing Free, Fair, and Credible elections will be a mirage. We voiced out our discomfort with their appointments in several communications to the Kebbi State Government and relevant Agencies involved in elections management in the State. PDP therefore doesn’t have any confidence in the leadership of the State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct the elections freely.”.