Kwara State bans the use of vigilante groups and wearing of party insignia on election days

KWARA State has banned the movement and use of vigilante groups on polling days ahead of next year's polls as part of an attempt to stamp out thuggery and hooliganism in a quest for free and fair elections.

Like all of Nigeria's 36 states, Kwara is always plagued with the menace of hired political thugs marauding on election day, intimidating voters. In a bid to curb this come next month's elections, Bashir Makama, the Kwara State police commissioner said no vigilante group would be allowed on the streets on election days.

Speaking in Ilorin, the state capital yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) ahead of the 2019 general elections, Mr Makama also warned politicians not to wear or put on any insignia of political party on election day. He added that any politician caught flouting these guidelines will face the full wrath of the law.

Mr Makama said: “On election, I don’t want to see any vigilante member in uniform parading the streets in Kwara. Canvassing and soliciting for votes and wearing of a party insignia in polling areas will not be allowed too and any political thug arrested on election day would be made to face the music with their sponsors.”

In addition, the commissioner further warned politicians to caution their supporters against violence on election day. Mr Makama also gave an assurance that the police would provide adequate personnel to accompany Inec staff and sensitive materials to voting and collation centres.

He also said offering food to voters at polling centres would not be allowed as this would amount to inducement. Meanwhile, Esther  Kupolati, the National Youth Service Corp coordinator in Kwara State assured the stakeholders of the readiness of corpers to participate fully in the elections.

She, however, appealed to all stakeholders to ensure the safety of corps members that would participate as ad-hoc staff during the elections. Mrs Kupolati said youth corpers constituted more than 50% of the ad-hoc staff Inec would use for the elections and she appealed to parties and their candidates not to offer inducement to the corps members.

Among those who attended the meeting were representatives of security agencies, leaders of political parties, members of civil society organisations, religious leaders and persons living with disabilities. Also in attendance were international observers from the European Union, local observers and representatives of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.