By Correspondent in Ilorin
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced registration and revalidation of members across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State with the exercise holding peacefully and orderly across the state.
The Reporters reports that the exercise which commenced on Tuesday also witnessed large turnout of members of the party in several parts of Ilorin the state capital and across other senatorial districts, while the turnout was low but peaceful in a few polling units.
Our correspondent, who monitored the exercise reports that it was generally peaceful in all the polling units visited across Kwara Central Senatorial District.
The same atmosphere prevailed at Alapa/Onire/Odegiwa ward 001 polling unit when our reporter visited the unit while over 143 party members had been registered and revalidated as at 3:15p.m.
The registration officer at the unit, Jimoh Tunde Idiagbon, said the situation has been very peaceful and calm.
The same atmosphere was observed at Isale Koko polling unit 010, 005 and 012 polling units, Gambari Ward ll and hundreds of members got registered at 12:46pm when our correspondent visited the units, Ibagun ward of Ilorin East local government.
At at 1:00p.m when our correspondent visited Sebura zone of Ibagun ward, over 100 members had been registered and revalidated at 001, 002 and 023 polling units
The registration officers at the units, Mashood Latifat, Akanbi Teslimat and Adebayo Muhammed Qozeem appreciated members of the party for conducting themselves peacefully.
At Idigba 004, Adewole ward, Ilorin West local government, 132 members were registered and revalidated as at 12:15pm.
Officers in charge of the unit, Saka Falilat and Na’Allah Aliu Babatunde, attributed the peaceful atmosphere at the unit to high level of maturity and understanding among members of the party.
At Ode Balogun Fulani 002 and 003 polling units in Ilorin South local government, the situation was very peaceful and orderly when our reporter visited the units.
The supervisor in charge of the units, Afolabi Shittu, thanked party members and supporters for conducting themselves orderly.
Former House of Representatives member Mashood Mustapha had his own membership revalidated at his polling unit Aiyelabegan 025 in Alanamu Ward of Ilorin West.
In Kwara North and Kwara South, the exercise was held peacefully.
Senator Umar Sadiq (Kwara North) had his membership revalidated at his Osiwera polling unit in Kaiama Ward 2, while the immediate past commissioner for local government, chieftaincy affairs and community development did his own membership revalidation at Zango Polling unit of Kaiama Ward 3.
Earlier, the Chairman of the state Caretaker Committee, Alhaji Abdulahi Samori, had assured that there would be no reason for violence or a need for anyone to resort to self-help as security operatives would be deployed to the polling units to ensure security of lives and property.
Samori who stated that the exercise would hold in 1,872 polling units in the state, urged old members of the party to renew their membership and urged prospective members to register and become APC members.
He added that standing committee has also been put in place to address issues that may arise during the registration exercise as membership registration would be supervised by the committee set up for that purpose by the National Caretaker Committee which is led by Senator John Danboi
Samori said that the Kwara APC Caretaker Committee would take necessary steps to encourage members to participate in the exercise as 386 Ward Supervisors and 5, 663 Unit Officers had been recruited to carry out the exercise.
He Implored party members to visit their polling units and make two passport photographs and PVC available to get registered by the registration officials, adding that members of the public who had turned 18 and yet to obtain PVC could also participate.
Samori, who debunked rumours that the state chapter of the party planned to expel some among prominent members of the party, said nobody would suspend anybody noted that the party had rules and regulations, adding that any member who violated such rules and regulations would, however, get deserved punishment.
He said he was not aware of any court injunction restraining the APC from going ahead with its membership registration in Kwara state added that party members are expected to explore internal mechanism put in place to resolve issues rather than taking the party to court.
‘’Iam the state APC Chairman I have not been served, we are mobilizing party members for the registration exercise’’ he said
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State, had earlier warned against mayhem in Ilorin and the State at large.
The Kwara PDP noted that this warning became necessary in view of the violence that greeted the Kwara APC Stakeholders’ meeting at the Banquet Hall, Ilorin, where some aggrieved members of the party were attacked, cars and some government facilities vandalized by thugs
In a statement issued by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr Tunde Ashaolu, the party condemned the violence that marred the APC meeting, stressing that recent political violence caused by the party within the State is shameful and portrays Kwara in bad light.
“We do not want to experience in Kwara, the kind of violence, bloodletting and killing witnessed in some other states where the APC membership registration exercise has commenced.
“We also wish to call on security operatives in the State to be on alert and ensure the maintenance of law and order in the State, particularly, Ilorin,”he said.
