By: Ibraheem Muhammad Mustapha
Claim
A circulating letter claims that the Kwara State Local Government elections scheduled for today, September 21, 2024, have been postponed by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) following a motion on stay of execution filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s stakeholders at the Court of Appeal.
Verdict
False. The election is proceeding as scheduled. Both the Chairman of KWASIEC and independent observers have confirmed that the election has not been postponed and voting is set to take place today across all 16 local government areas and 193 wards in Kwara State.
Full Text
The background leading to this election stems from a landmark Supreme Court ruling in July 2024. In the ruling, the Supreme Court granted local governments financial autonomy, freeing them from the control of state governors. The court declared that the retention of local government funds by state governors was a violation of the 1999 Constitution, specifically section 7, which guarantees the existence of democratically elected councils.
This judgment, delivered in suit SC/CV/343/2024 filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), against all 36 state governors, upheld the autonomy of local councils. It marked a significant step in restoring the constitutional rights of local governments to operate independently, ushering in a new era for local governance in Nigeria.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, several states, including Kwara, Kaduna, Kogi, Bauchi, Katsina, Osun, Enugu, Benue, Rivers, Jigawa, Imo, Kebbi, Abia, and Anambra states, scheduled their local government elections. In Kwara, elections were planned for today, September 21, 2024, across the 16 local government areas and 193 wards in the state.
However, on the eve of the election, a letter began circulating across various platforms, claiming that the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) had postponed the election. Given the public interest and confusion surrounding this claim, FactCheckAfrica launched an immediate investigation.
(the circulating letter)
Verification
To verify this claim, FactCheckAfrica reached out to the Chairman of KWASIEC, Mr. Baba Okanla, who confirmed that the information in the circulating letter was false. He stated, “it is a lie, the election is being held today,” reaffirming that no postponement had been made and that the election would proceed as scheduled.
Additionally, our parent organization, the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), has been officially accredited to observe the elections. BBYDI’s lead observer, Mr. Ahmad confirmed from the commission’s office that there were no signs of postponement. “For now, I can confirm that the election still holds. I was at the commission office earlier this morning. Even though the election has not started, it’s on authority that there is no sign of postponement either,” Mr. Ahmad reported.
Further confirmation came directly from Mr. Okanla’s formal statement as seen below:
To further verify the claim, additional evidence points to the authenticity of the scheduled elections. Apart from statements made by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) Chairman and observers, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State also issued a press statement distancing itself from any attempts to postpone or appeal the election process. The PDP’s statement clarified the party’s commitment to the local government elections and discredited any claims suggesting otherwise.
In the press release, titled “PDP Distances Itself from Fake Appeal Notice to KWASIEC”, the party firmly denied any association with the false letter circulating online. The statement emphasized that the PDP had not filed any notice of appeal regarding the court ruling on the local government elections. The party also reassured its members and the general public of its commitment to participating in the election.
The statement read:
“The general public and all party members are therefore urged to disregard the fake letter. The PDP is focused on securing victory, and we encourage all our members to continue their mobilisation and proceed to their respective polling unit where voting will be taking place without any distraction.”
This statement, signed by the Kwara State PDP Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, reinforces that the scheduled elections are proceeding, as planned, and denounces any false information about postponement. The press release serves as additional confirmation that no legitimate appeal or delay has been introduced into the process.
Conclusion
Thus, based on confirmation from KWASIEC officials, observers, and statements from the PDP, it is clear that the claim of a postponed local government election is entirely false. The elections are proceeding as scheduled today, September 21, 2024. We encourage the public to ignore any misleading information and proceed to vote peacefully.
