LG poll shows era of money politics is over - Kwara Deputy Governor

Deputy Governor of Kwara Peter Kishira on Saturday said that the era of money politics had come to an end with the way local government election was conducted in the state.

Kishira, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilesha-Baruba, Baruten local government area of Kwara noted that for the first time money was not pumped out to mobilise the electorate.

“When we talk of the low turn-out, it could be as a result of what we experienced in those day where people were mobilised with money, which forced people to vote and all that.

“But as you can see, money was not the issue now. It is about people coming out willingly to perform their civic responsibility.

“Because of that we may not experience such a large crowd”, he said.

He said with the development, the era of money politics was over in the area as people would have to come out to vote on their volition and not because they are mobilised with money.

Kishira applauded the peaceful conduct of people of the area and expressed satisfaction with the whole process particularly a new guideline by the state electoral body that allowed for accreditation and voting simultaneously.

The new guideline, Kishira said saved the people much time.

Speaking on similar development, the Emir of Okuta, Alhaji Idris Abubakar said that lack of money to mobilise as politicians used to do really affected the turn out.

He, however, hailed the peaceful conduct of the people of the area.

NAN reports that the local government election in Kwara witnessed a poor turn-out in Baruten local government.

Baruten is a border council that shared international boundary with the Republic of Benin.

Many residents of the area shunned voting instead went to their farms.

Despite the early arrival of voting materials, residents were seen moving on with their normal businesses.

Many eligible voters opened shops to engage in their daily transaction ignoring the restriction on movement order imposed by the state government.

NAN further reports that motorists also defied restriction of movement order that is normally enforced on an election day.