The Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has directed the most senior career heads across all the Local Government Council Areas, the Area Office, Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs and Area Council Development Areas in Osun State to take charge of the affairs of their respective councils with immediate effect.
This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
The directive from the governor is in compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, which sacked the elected Local Government Chairmen and Councilors in the October 15 Local Government election in Osun State.
It will be recalled that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC, conducted the Local Government election on October 15, 2022, with only one political party, All Progressive Congress, APC, on the ballot paper.
The election was conducted after the opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, had approached the court to stop the conduct of the election.
PDP had argued that the electoral umpire had no right to conduct the election within a month and within a month of the expiration of the tenure of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
Voters’ apathy characterized the Saturday’s local council poll conducted by Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC.
There was a poor turnout of voters in some polling Units visited in Egbedore, Osogbo and Bolorunduro areas of Osun while some units in Ward 10 in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osogbo were empty of voters.
Radio Nigeria reporter, who went around some polling Units, found that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, officials had left the polling Units as there were no voters to participate in the Local Government election.
Speaking in an interview with journalists in Igbajo, Bolorunduro Local Government Area, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Mr. Sunday Akere commended OSIEC for the peaceful conduct of the election.
At Dada Estate market, in Egbedore local government area, a woman hawking smoked fish, who refused to be recorded by our correspondent said, she came from Iwo town to do her daily business in the market adding that she did not know the election was taking place this Saturday.
Also speaking, one of the residents of Ofatedo, Mr. Dimeji Ojo said, he did not go out to vote since he did not know the Councilor or Chairman contesting in the election.
However, despite the no movement order by the state government, some shops and market stalls were opened for business while some motorcycle operators were going about carrying passengers from one area to another.
Similarly, a Radio Nigeria correspondent, who monitored the exercise in Osogbo, Ikirun Iragbiji and Ilobu noticed that there was voters’ apathy.
Some residents were also seen going about with their businesses despite the restrictions ordered by the state government.
However, our correspondent in Osogbo reports of voting exercise in Unit 2 and unit 3 Ibokun road ward 7 Alagbaa Area, Ward 9 and 12 in Oja Oba Market, Unit 8 Ward 6 Otun Jagunbi, Akolu Compound, Itaolokan.
Shops, filling stations and markets were observed to be under lock and key in places visited including Station Road, Oja Oba, Italokan, Aiyepe, Ilesa Garage, Owode -Ilesa and Kajola areas of the town.
There were slight movements of commercial vehicles and motorcyclists on the major roads.
Osun Independent Electoral Commission, OSEIC officers, and security officials manned the polling units, and various security agencies were observed patrolling around the major roads of the areas visited to maintain peace and order.
Speaking with Radio Nigeria, an OSIEC presiding officer, Mr Tunde Abdulazeez said the voting process commenced at 9.00a.m.and most voters left the polling units after casting their vote.
In an Interview, a politician, Prince AbdulAkeem Olaniyan described the process as smooth, free and fair, commending the State Independent Electoral Commission for the timely distribution of Electoral materials.
Speaking, The Chairman, Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Otunba Segun Oladitan said only All progressive Congress participated in the election.
Otunba Oladitan noted that the commission had provided enabling environment for all political parties to participate in the election but some political parties decided not to participate in the exercise
It would be recalled that the last local government election in Osun State was held in January 2018.
The Osun State House of Assembly, OSHA, has charged the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC, to be more tolerant during election periods.
Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Adebayo Olodo made the call during the budget defence by Ministries and Agencies at the House of Assembly Complex, Oshogbo.
Mr. Olodo who appreciated the efforts of members of the commission in discharging their civic obligations advised the commission to be up and doing in its undertakings.
He promised that the Osun State House of Assembly would give necessary support to the commission to succeed.
He advised Nigerians to be actively involved for credible, effective and smooth elections.
Responding, the OSIEC Chairman, Otunba Segun Oladitan urged various political parties to always do the needful in presenting their candidates ahead of elections.
The Osun State House of Assembly, OSHA, has confirmed all the screened nominees of Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC sent to the Assembly for confirmation.
The nominees were confirmed during the plenary after a motion moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Maroof Olanrewaju and seconded by member representing Atakumosa East/West, Mr Festus Komolafe.
The Speaker, Mr. Timothy Owoeye, in his remarks described the nominees as intelligent and capable of carrying out their duties in the commission based on their good record of previous performance.
He said the confirmation was in accordance with section 198 of Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
While advising the confirmed members of OSIEC to conduct free, fair, acceptable and credible elections in the state, the Speaker urged the Governor Gboyega Oyetola to go ahead with the swearing-in of the OSIEC members.
The confirmed OSIEC members are Mr. Segun Oladitan as Chairman, others are, Mrs. Abosede Omibeku, Alhaja Muibat Babalola, Mr. Oladosu Gidigbi, Mr. Rufus Oyeniran, Mr.Olayinka Ajiboye and Mr.Wahaab Adewoyin.
