Osun electoral commission announces date for local govt poll 

… As PDP vows to stop election

By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo

The Osun Independent Electoral Commission, (OSIEC), has said that the local government Election will be conducted on the 15th of October, 2022.

The Chairman of the commission, Otunba Segun Oladitan, disclosed this at a press conference, on Monday in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

Oladitan said that the commission will conduct the election into all local government in the state on presidential system.

According to him, “The commission is happy to inform you and the general public that the Local Government Elections in Osun State of Nigeria shall be conducted on the 15th day of October, 2022.

“For some time now, the Commission had been making necessary contacts with relevant Stakeholders and carrying out in-house preparations for the conduct of Local Government Elections.

“As recent as Friday the 12th day of August, 2022 the Commission had parley with all the political parties in the State where they were informed of the impending conduct of the elections.

“In accordance with the Oath which, we, Members of the Commission took we shall ensure that the elections are free, fair, transparent and credible,” he said.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to engage in all lawful means to stop the election.

The Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Dr Akindele Adekunle stated that OSIEC’s move to conduct local government is illegal.

The statement reads in full: “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osun State Chapter, has been called to the announcement made by the Chairman of Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) on the plan to conduct Local Government elections in Osun State on 15th October, 2022, a period of about 60 (sixty) days from today, and a period of about 3 months to the take off of administration of the Governor-Elect, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke.

“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 OSIEC Chairman, Otunba Segun Oladitan dismissed same as a rumour. Barely 5 days after however, the OSIEC chairman invited political parties for a briefing which they tagged ‘a PARLEY.’

“At the said meeting held on Friday 12th August, 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 but also the attendant criminality being perpetrated by OSIEC and the financial injury such wasteful calisthenics will foist on Osun people. The content of the said letter is available in the public domain.

“Apparently, the OSIEC 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 a lawless entity. We will ensure that the sinister and dangerous plan of OSIEC that has become an appendage of the APC does not see the light of the day.

“We will engage in all lawful means including mobilising the masses of Osun State, who have entrusted us with the mandate to protect their interest, day-in, day-out, in peaceful protests against the illegal and atrocious plans of OSIEC against the state.

“The illegal election as we have stated recently is targeted mainly at wasting resources of the state and to cover for some financial infractions by the outgoing APC government.

“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 OSIEC is trying to plant in the state.”