The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has urged its members and residents to take an active role in the ongoing voter registration exercise, describing it as vital to sustaining recent political and developmental gains in the state.
At a sensitisation event held at the Arca Santa Arena in Ilorin over the weekend, party leaders, lawmakers, and senior government officials called on citizens to see voter registration as both a civic duty and a tool for consolidating APC’s electoral strength.
State APC chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, told the gathering that the exercise was “the foundation upon which to consolidate the resounding winning streak of the APC in Kwara and across Nigeria.” He urged members to mobilise at least 20 people each to register before the December 10 deadline for the first phase.
Fagbemi credited the party’s dominance to what he described as a record of transformative governance under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and President Bola Tinubu, citing investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, and digital economy.
Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, rallied members through a symbolic “Aye and No” vote on supporting the registration drive, stressing its importance for both the party and the state.
Former INEC staff, Alhaji Muhammed Babatunde Yusuf, praised the APC for complementing the commission’s efforts by sensitising citizens. He reminded participants that registration was open to those who had turned 18, lost or damaged their cards, or wished to change polling units.
Several officials also spoke on security and development. Commissioner for Works, Engr Abdulqowiyu Olododo, said 70 percent of recent road projects were awarded to local contractors, while security aide Alhaji Muyideen Aliyu disclosed plans to recruit 2,600 forest guards to support security agencies.
Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, reported that as of Friday, 89,056 people had registered online, but over 70,000 were yet to complete the physical process.
“We must all take this exercise seriously,” said Abdullateef Gidado Alakawa, Chairman of the Niger River Basin Development Authority. “Obtaining a PVC is a weapon to elect leaders of our choice.”
