A protest turned violent in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, on Sunday, as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed with a civil servant, Ibrahim Suberu, who was reportedly beaten near the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) office.
The protest was sparked by the results of Saturday’s local government elections, which the PDP claims were marred by irregularities.
Ibrahim Suberu, who identified himself as a civil servant, described the incident as he was leaving a shopping mall on his motorcycle.
“I was mercilessly beaten, and they were looking for used tyres to burn me,” he recounted.
Suberu managed to escape to the KWASIEC office, where security personnel intervened to protect him from the mob.
Protesters began their demonstration as early as 8 a.m. on Sunday, expressing outrage over the election results released in the early hours of the same day.
KWASIEC Chairman Mohammed Baba-Okanla announced that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won chairmanship and councillorship elections in all 16 local government areas and 193 wards across the state.
During the protest, demonstrators lit bonfires at strategic locations on Fate Road before marching to Zango/Maraba Road and other areas of Ilorin, carrying placards denouncing the election results.
Some placards bore messages such as “Kwara people say no to the continuation of bad governance led by APC” and “KWASIEC robbed PDP in Kwara LG Elections.”
At a press conference later in the day, PDP candidates from Offa Local Government criticized the election process, asserting that the election did not take place in Offa.
Salahudeen Lukman, the PDP chairmanship candidate, stated, “It is inconceivable that KWASIEC would declare a winner in an election that was marred by irregularities, with no votes cast, counted, or announced in Offa.”
Lukman called for the immediate rescheduling of the Offa local government election, warning that any ensuing lawlessness would be the responsibility of Governor AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq.
In response, the APC defended the legitimacy of the election. Femi Agbaje-Whyte, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, insisted that the election was conducted fairly, asserting that Offa has traditionally supported the APC, which had previously won all elected seats in the 2019 and 2023 elections.
He accused the PDP of attempting to prevent the election from occurring by seeking legal action against it.
Sulaiman Olatunji, the chairman-elect of Offa Local Government, echoed Agbaje-Whyte’s sentiments, describing the elections as “free, fair, and transparent.” He dismissed the PDP’s claims as unfounded.
As tensions remained high in the aftermath of the protest, the PDP members reiterated their accusations against KWASIEC, alleging that the results were manipulated in favor of the APC.
Former state commissioner Saratu Adebayo, who led the protest, claimed, “KWASIEC, in collaboration with the state government and APC, changed and stole the votes of the people of Kwara State.”
The situation in Ilorin highlights the growing discontent surrounding the electoral process in the region and raises concerns about political violence and the integrity of future elections.
As the PDP continues to contest the election results, the response from the state government and KWASIEC will be critical in addressing the unrest and restoring public confidence in the electoral process.
