• Electoral body unfair to rule of law, says APC
The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) has fixed May 15, 2021 for the conduct of election into the local councils of the state.
In the time-table and guidelines released yesterday by OYSIEC in Ibadan, the state capital, the electoral body is set to conduct the council poll.
In a statement signed by the commission’s Chairman, Isiaka Abiodun Olagunju (SAN), the electoral body urged stakeholders to give their total support and co-operation to the commission to ensure the conduct of free, fair, credible and transparent election in the state.
The statement read: “In compliance with Section 30 Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Section 5 (a) and Paragraph 1 (1) Schedule 2 of the State Independent Electoral Commission Law CAP 154, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000, the public is hereby informed that elections will be conducted in 33 Local Councils in Oyo State on Saturday, May 15, 2021 between 8:00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m.
“In the circumstance, prospective candidates are expected to obtain nomination forms in respect of the elections into their Local Councils at the commission’s headquarters situate at Quarters 484, Total Garden–Gate Road, Agodi GRA, Ibadan. Oyo State on or before Monday, April 30, 2021 upon payment of N250,000 only for the position of Chairman or N100,000 for the position of a councillor.
“The relevant prescribed fee(s) as stated above shall be payable to either The OYSIEC (Chairmanship) Zenith Bank Account No. 1211862568 or the OYSIEC (Councillorship) Zenith Bank Account No. 1211851234 respectively depending on the position the candidate is contesting for in the elections.”
MEANWHILE, the APC in state said it was unfair to fix the election for the councils when the apex court is still being expected to deliver judgment on the same matter.
The state’s Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary, Dr. Abdulazeez Olatunde, who spoke with The Guardian in Ibadan, said: “We are all for democracy and the rule of law. The electoral gave the timetable to hold elections on May 15, 2021. If it is going to hold elections, there must be a build-up towards the date. That means they are not being fair to the Supreme Court that has put May 7, 2021 as judgment date on the litigation instituted by the existing holders of that office.”
