A coalition of independent assessors of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) electoral process has confirmed the readiness of the current OSSIEC leadership to conduct Saturday’s local government election.
The coalition, led by a Professor of
Mathematics and Director of Quality Assurance, Osun State University, Professor Amos Popoola, said that, unlike the 2007 and 2022 local government elections in the state, the current OSSIEC is well prepared for the conduct of the February 22 polls, having followed due process.
This was part of the report of the team after the assessment, verification, and evaluation of the OSSIEC’s electoral process.
The team also carried out a SWOT analysis of the Commission’s strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats.
In the report, the team observed that there was no proper record keeping from the commission from inception, noting that the current leadership of the commission is changing the tide through innovative creation of a website.
The team also said there is a general infrastructural face left in the commission, adding that the current OSSIEC, unlike in the past, now deploys technology for operational efficiency.
The team,, however, recommended that the commission pay serious attention to archival retrieval and enhancement of record keeping.
The independent assessors advised that the ongoing improvement in the Commission should be sustained while urging the OSSIEC to study the result of the SWOT analysis for the purpose of future decision-making and strategic planning.
“Major gaps were noticed in the operations of the Commission from inception. Happily
however, the Commission is evidently on the upswing in the area of operational efficacy, adherence to the law, technological adaptation,, and avoidance of public resource wastage.
“The team also observed an open door policy among all hierarchies of Staff. Collaborative spirit among the workers.
“The results of the comparative analysis above revealed the level of preparedness of
the Commission for the conduct of 2002, 2022, and 2025 elections. By implication,
the Commission, having followed due process now, is scientifically adjudged to be well-prepared for the conduct of the February 22, 2025 elections”.
“It is recommended that there should be institutionalisation of post-election audit
and evaluation. It is also recommended that verification exercises such as this should be carried out from time to time for Quality Assurance purposes”.
Other members of the team are Prof Elijah Agbaje, Prof Taiwo Ojurongbe, Dr Olufunmiso Ajala, Dr Folasade Adeyemi, Dr Michael Ilesanmi, and Dr Olufemi Akinrinade.
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