Chairman, Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Mr Hashim Abioye, at the weekend, said the commission has concluded necessary arrangement to make the proposed local government election in the state free and fair .
The chairman, who made this known in the state capital, Osogbo, when he spoke to the Nigerian tribune, said he and his team have a timeline of events and schedule of activities towards the conduct of the election.
He stated that the amended notice and adjusted timetable issued by the commission is a complete package and enough for any serious-minded political party in preparation for the election.
He said there was no legitimacy question surrounding the activities of OSSIEC that will culminate into the conduct of the election this year.
“We started very well by getting it right from the time of issuance of notice, and as far as the schedule of activities are concerned, there is no serious legitimacy question mark on the processes so far.”
“On the part of the commission, we have been carrying out our activities within the circumference of the timetable, schedule of activities and guidelines issued by the commission. What is more, we have appointed Electoral Officers (EOs) and Assistant Electoral Officers (AEOs) across all the Local Government Areas. We even appointed Special duties EOs & AEOs for efficiency and effectiveness. We have organised two levels of retreats, seminars and training for the Commission members, staff and all the EOs & AEOs,” he added.
“As am talking, the online ad hoc staff recruitment is ongoing. It is paperless, first in history, powered by our high-powered IT facilities that are on ground. The commission has never had it so good as we are having today. Imagine the cost, the disorderliness, the security risks involved, even possibility of a stampede is envisaged if we are to go physical in ad hoc staff recruitment! That has been eliminated now.
“There is no information anyone needs that is not available on the commission›s website and portal. Our offices are also open for administrative and official purposes even at odd hours, to attend to issues bothering on conduct of the elections.
“It is time for campaign by political parties and you can see some parties are already doing that. There have been adequate logistical preparations and there won›t be any disappointment, by God›s grace, in terms of election logistics. Election is sensitive and one needs also to be security conscious. I don›t have to speak with the whole of my tongue out of my mouth.
“But, we are ready and nothing is stopping us, Insha Allah, and I mean it. All I can tell you is that there is nothing left for us other than short-listing the ad hoc staff and to kit them adequate in terms of knowledge, technicality and logistics, which is the next in line. Majority of the Commissions activities are IT driven.
“We are engaging the public regularly. There is an ongoing programme on the radio and television tagged OSSIEC Half hour. It is a public information and orientation platform courtesy of the commission. We will expand the tentacles and frontiers of the information and orientation outreach of the Commission to reach larger audience.”
“The commission will also embark on physical campaigns, orientation, consultations and engagements with stakeholders some days before the election. That is our mandate and we shall deliver. As far as we are concerned, the process has been smooth with no hitches, and so it will be till the end.”
“To verify our claim, anybody can visit the Commission›s website, monitor the activities and put my words here side by side the information on those materials and see whether we have not really done well in terms of preparations for the elections.”
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, in an interview with its spokesperson, Chief Kola Olabisi on the election said, “ it is not an overstatement to state that the Osun State chapter of the APC is the leading opposition party in the state today.”
“It is also on record that some lawsuits are pending to challenge the exclusion of some of our candidates across several local governments by the OSSIEC.”
“In addition, our party has equally challenged the amended OSSIEC law that gives the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice power to appoint members of the Local Government Council Elections Petition.
“Our party’s preparation is, therefore, conditioned by the progress and outcome of these lawsuits. Where we are denied rights to participate in the elections, of what importance is the preparation again?”
“In view of the foregoing, we prepare for elections where there is a level playing ground. Our party shall find a legally acceptable means of crossing the bridge when we get to the river.”
Also, the state Peoples Democratic Party PDP spokesperson, Oladele Olabamiji said: “As far as the PDP is concerned, we are more than ready for the election as scheduled by OSSIEC.
“As could be observed, campaigns towards the election are ongoing in our party across the all the 30 local governments and the Area Office as we speak. We are sensitising and wooing the voters in our characteristic manner as a party that believes in the voting powers of the people.
“The electoral body, in our view, has been following due process, rebuffing all forms of political pressure here and there, and as a law-abiding political party, we have keyed ourselves into the electoral processes as outlined by OSSIEC. We are fully prepared and we are confident, our great party will carry the day come February 22, 2025.”
On its part, IPAC in Osun State said its members were fully aware “of every activities of OSSIEC.”
Its chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, stated that, “Up till this moment, we can say OSSIEC is prepared to conduct a free and fair election as promised.”
“Our eyes are on them and we are ready to challenge them if we notice anything contrary to election process ethics, “ he stressed.
The state Chairman of NNPP in the state, Dr . Odeyemi Oluwatosin, also noted that some political parties are having an issue with OSSIEC but maintained that the electoral body has given all parties due notice and guidelines on the election.
Odeyemi, however, charged OSSIEC to make the election free, fair and credible so that the electoral body can write its name in gold .
“They should be upright on the conduct of the election because, this is the opportunity for them to write their name in gold. The body should make the exercise free, fair and credible,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the body would make it a peaceful election.
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