Chairman, Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), Prof Olugbenga Ige addressing journalists, during a Press Conference held in Akure yesterday on the forthcoming April 23 local government elections. Others are Commissioners in the Commission, Deaconess Lola Adewumi (M) and Mr Ayo Ajayi (Credit: Segun Aderiri)
By Yemisi Akinmameji & Adekola Afolabi
The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has fixed the conduct of local government elections in the state for April 23, 2016, just as political parties in the state have signified their readiness for the elections.
The announcement of the notice of election was made by the Chairman of ODIEC, Prof. Olugbenga Ige at a press conference in Akure yesterday.
According to the ODIEC Chairman, the elections would be conducted for the posts of local government chairmen and councillors.
His words: “In accordance with the local government administration, conduct of local government election and allied matters law 2004 and in pursuance of the provision of section 30(1) of the electoral act 2010 as amended, I, Prof Olugbenga Ige, Chairman of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer of Ondo State, hereby give notice that elections into positions of chairman and councillors in all the 18 local government council areas of Ondo State shall hold on Saturday, April 23, 2016″, he said.
He noted that the conduct of primaries by the political parties is expected to hold between January 28 and February 11, 2016.
He solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders which, according to him, is necessary for ODIEC to deliver a free, fair and credible elections in April.
He expressed the determination of the state electoral body to provide a level playing ground for all political parties, saying there would be no preferential treatment.
He described ODIEC as a law abiding institution, saying the delay in the conduct of local government elections was due to a legal injunction preventing the body from doing so.
He noted that consequent upon the dissolution of local government council chairmen in 2009, a legal battle ensued between the state government and the affected council bosses.
He explained that the dissolved council bosses clamoured for reinstatement adding that both at the High Court and the Court of Appeal, the judgements were delivered in favour of the state government.
He stated that the case between the dissolved council bosses and the state government is still at the Supreme Court.
He, however, noted that at the Supreme Court, the Council bosses no longer clamour for reinstatement, but compensation.
He noted that with a change in the request of the litigants, the coast is clear to conduct local government elections in the state.
He stressed the need to have formidable structures at the local government level, saying it is the closest to the people.
He noted that the election is long overdue, adding that the people have been yearning for it for a very long time.
In his intervention, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr. Fatai Adams expressed the readiness of political parties in the state to be law abiding.
Adams who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, described local government elections as needful and necessary.
He observed that with local government chairmen and councillors in place, the standard of living of people at the grassroots would be improved.
Meanwhile, political parties have said they are fully ready for the Local Government polls.
Chairmen of various political parties who spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting with Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), on the release of time table for the conduct of the election lauded the state electoral body and expressed their readiness for the poll.
The political parties disclosed that they are already warming up for the poll.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the release of time table, the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Engr. Clement Faboyede, gave kudos to the state electoral umpire for the time table, stating that his party is fully prepared for the poll.
He lauded ODIEC for carefully choosing the date of the election, stressing that the election notice as given by the Commission has clearly shown that the Commission is truly ready for the polls.
While charging ODIEC to create a level playing ground for all political parties in the state, the state PDP Chairman, also disclosed that his party will continue pick credible candidates for various positions and as well continue to sensitise people of the state.
The Chairman of Peoples for Democratic Change, PDC and Secretary, IPAC, Mr. Oyebanji Lawrence said his party has been preparing for the poll for the past three years, adding that his party is seriously warming up for the election.
Also speaking, the Chairman of People’s Party of Nigeria, PPN, Alhaji Aforolagba Hassan, noted that his party has no reservation about the released time table as he said what is left for the party now is to start mobilising its supporters for the election.
Engr. Fagboro Oluwole, the state chairman of Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, who said that his party is satisfied with the time table, also described local governments as the closest government to the people,just as he affirmed that that the election will go a long to improving the well-being of the people at the grassroots.
According to him, his party already has good structures across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, hence it has nothing to fear.
Present at the stakeholders’ meeting are PDP, PDC, PDM, IPAC, SDP, APA, LP, DPC, among others.
Also at the meeting were Heads of security agencies, ODIEC staff, journalists, Civil Society Organizations and party leaders among other stakeholders