The Kwara State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun sensitising party members across the 16 local government areas on the importance of actively participating in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
The party also used the forum to highlight the security efforts of the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration and the roles citizens are expected to play in defeating criminal elements.
Held at the Arca Santa Arena in Ilorin, the capital city, the event drew National and State parliamentarians, senior government officials, party leaders and stalwarts. Dignitaries included Hon. Ahmed Saba (House of Representatives, Edu/Patigi/Moro Federal Constituency); Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Mamman Saba Jibril; Local Government Chairmen; former PDP chieftain and 2019 Deputy Governorship candidate, Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola; KWASU Governing Council Chairman, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali; Vice Chancellor, KWASU, Prof. Shaykh Luqman Jimoh, and Deputy VC, Prof. Moshood Mahmud Jimba.
State APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, said voter registration was not just a civic duty but the foundation for consolidating APC’s dominance in Kwara and Nigeria at large.
“Anybody who does not possess a voter’s card is not eligible to become a member of a political party,” he stressed. “As APC faithful, your mobilisation for voter registration will amplify the gains of our administration and ensure victory in 2027. Let each of you ensure that at least 20 persons register to vote. That is the way to thank the President and the Governor for their commitment to sustainable development in our state.”
He attributed the party’s dominance to a proven track record of “transformative governance” under Governor AbdulRazaq and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, digital economy, tourism, justice reform, and social protection.
Speaker Danladi, adopting a mock legislative style, engaged the gathering in an “Aye and No” vote to test their awareness and commitment. He urged members to treat the exercise with utmost seriousness.
Alhaji Muhammed Babatunde Yusuf, a former INEC official, commended the APC for complementing INEC’s work. He urged members to mobilise eligible voters ahead of the close of the first phase of registration on December 10, 2025. He noted the process was open to new voters, those who misplaced or damaged their cards, and those seeking to transfer polling units.
Other speakers included Commissioner for Works, Engr. Abdulqowiyu Olododo; Chairman, Niger River Basin Development Authority, Abdullateef Gidado Alakawa; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Muyideen Aliyu; and SUBEB Chairman, Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja.
Olododo highlighted road infrastructure projects, insisting that 70% of contracts were awarded to local contractors, contrary to claims that outsiders dominated the projects.
Alakawa urged citizens to see voter registration as a “weapon” to choose leaders, while stressing that security is everyone’s responsibility. He called on residents to remain vigilant and support security agencies with intelligence.
Aliyu disclosed that plans were at an advanced stage to recruit and equip 2,600 security guards under the Nigerian Forest Guards, who would work with existing operatives to tackle insecurity in rural areas.
Adaramaja revealed that as of Friday, 89,056 Kwarans had registered online, with 10,547 completing their physical registration. He urged about 70,000 who had started the process online to quickly visit INEC offices to finalise their registration.
