“To save themselves from needless orchestrated violence, all the political parties in Osun State should go for fresh polls and test their popularity in a free, fair and credible election. Politicians should leave the Judiciary alone by playing clean politics. The Judiciary was not in any way complicit in the Osun State LG imbroglio. Rather, it acted in good faith, striving fiercely to defend the rule of law and uphold electoral integrity.” –PROF. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN, LLD
EDITORIAL: The skirmishes that occurred in the state last Monday in which lives were lost across the political divides notwithstanding, we note the proactive stance of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, towards a free and fair local government election on Saturday February 22, 2025.
Barely a week after thugs unleashed mayhem in their attempt to forcefully reinstate sacked LG chairmen, the Hassim Abioye-led OSSIEC is upbeat about the elections even as the All Progressives Congress, APC, pulled out of the exercise on Wednesday February 19.
The APC communicated its decision via a letter to OSSIEC, and cited the recent Appeal Court judgment in Akure as the basis for its withdrawal, stating that the ruling had rendered the planned election unnecessary and unlawful.
Hitherto, the party had actively campaigned for its candidates across Osun’s 30 local government areas before making the sudden decision to pull out of the race.
Even so, a coalition of independent assessors of the electoral process has confirmed OSSIEC’s readiness to conduct Saturday’s local government election.
The coalition is made up of Prof. Elijah Agbaje, Prof. Taiwo Ojurongbe, Dr. Olufunmiso Ajala, Dr. Folasade Adeyemi, Dr. Michael Ilesanmi, and Dr. Olufemi Akinrinade and led by a Professor of Mathematics and Director of Quality Assurance, Osun State University, Professor Amos Popoola. It noted 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, 2025 polls, having followed due process.
Said the body: “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.
“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”.
Few weeks ago, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, in Osun State had berated the APC in the state over a move to stop the conduct of the local government election and charged OSSIEC not to be deterred by the APC antics, saying it should see the process through by conducting a fair poll on February 22, 2025.
The State’s party chairman, Dr. Tosin Odeyemi, said the NNPP wondered the reason the APC waited till now before coming public to obstruct the conduct of the election.
“Any reasonable person in Osun would know that OSIEC has committed a lot to this election. Our party, together with other political parties in the state, APC inclusive, held a meeting with OSIEC some months ago where we all passed a vote of confidence on the Hassim Abioye-led commission.
“The representative of All Progressives Congress was there raising no objection to the move. He was there throughout the meeting in acceptance of all that we did that day.
“Why make moves that can jeopardise the process now? We all clamoured for local government autonomy, how are we going to experience it when some people are planning to stop the poll,” NNPP said.
Since the election is a process governed by law, we believe OSSIEC staff would have acquainted themselves more with the processes and procedures. And voters must have recovered from the shock of violence unleashed on LG workers last week.
Yet, we are as concerned about the safety of the people of Osun State – the voters, candidates, agents and supporters – as they seek to perform this simple civic duty tomorrow.
Consequently, we enjoin all parties and the candidates to conduct themselves peacefully. Election is not warfare. Emphasis should be on ballots; not bullets.
More importantly, we believe that all security agencies should be alive to their responsibilities. They must not turn a blind eye to unruly thugs even as the political parties rein in their contestants and supporters.
And neither should the Federal Government which controls the agencies use them overzealously to the detriment of other parties.
“… all security agencies should be alive to their responsibilities. They must not turn a blind eye to unruly thugs even as the political parties rein in their contestants and supporters.”
Headline and Editorial culled from New National Star newspapers.