The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), on Monday, fixed the conduct of the local government election in the state for October 15, 2022, saying whosoever disagrees with the decision should allow the law to take its course.
Chairman of the commission, Chief Segun Oladitan, who announced the date at a press conference in Osogbo, said he was aware of a case in court on the matter.
“But, I am doing everything according to the electoral law and after the election, Let law takes its course since the case is in court,” he stressed.
He said, the commission was not going wrong or acting contrary to the electoral process and would continue to uphold the sanctity of law.
Oladiti, who explained that the commission was inaugurated in June, 2020 principally to conduct local government elections, pointed out that, “this objective was hampered by a number of encumbrances such as Litigations, COVID-19 pandemic, End-SARS saga and necessary enabling law.”
“However, the state House of Assembly recently enacted the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2022 which had been duly assented to by Mr Governor.»
“As at date, all the inhibiting factors and circumstances have been ameliorated thereby making the coast very clear for the commission to conduct local government elections. All previous laws on local government elections in the State had been repealed.”
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in its swift reaction to the decision of OSSIEC, threatened to engage all lawful means against what it described as the “illegal and atrocious plans of OSSIEC against the state.”
In a statement by its chairman, Dr Akindele Adekunle in Osogbo, the party, however, assured the people of the state that PDP would do everything under the law to ensure that Osun State “is not further dragged into economic retardation through the election being proposed by OSSIEC.
“For the sake of emphasis, however, matters concerning the conduct of the election are already before competent courts of law and as a law-abiding political party, we will rely on the processes enabled by our laws to strengthen the nation’s democracy and enlighten the outgoing APC government to make them come to terms that government activities must not always be premised on crude arrogance and wanton illegality,” he said.
“Members of the public especially the suffering masses of Osun are hereby called upon to join the PDP in its efforts towards putting out the fire of crisis the defeated APC administration through OSSIEC is trying to plant in the state.
“Recall that about two weeks ago, the PDP raised an alarm about the plan to conduct illegal local government elections in Osun State but the OSSIEC Chairman, Otunba Segun Oladitan dismissed same as a rumour. Barely 5 days after however, the OSSIEC chairman invited political parties for a briefing which they tagged «a PARLEY».
«At the said meeting held on Friday August 12, 2022, the PDP was ably represented at the meeting and a warning letter was openly presented and spoken to before the commission. The illegality of the purported election is not only what is at play.
«Apparently, the OSSIEC chairman seems adamant in going ahead with the illegal election and as such, we in the PDP will not fold our arms and watch the APC turn our dear state into lawless entity. We will ensure that the sinister and dangerous plan of OSSIEC that has become an appendage of the APC, does not see the light of the day.
«Already, we have adequately invited the attention of the ilInspector-General of Police to the imminent action and we are, by this release, further inviting the police authority to the looming breakdown of peace and order in Osun State in the event OSIEC proves to be above the laws of the land regarding the conduct of the election,» Adekunle claimed.
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