Osun Local Govt. Election: APC Sweeps Poll As OSIEC Justify Process.
Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has declared 69 Chairmanship and 393 Councillorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Saturday local government election in the state elected unopposed.
Addressing newsmen before the presentation of certificate of returns to the winners of the contest, the Commission chairman, Otunba Segun Oladuntan said following strategic consultations with critical political stakeholders towards the conduct of the election, notice was issued that the election would hold on the 15″ of October, 2022.
He revealed that sixteen political parties present in the state subsequently addressed a press conference showing their interest and preparedness to participate in the exercise while two political parties differed with the position.
According to him, the Commission issued out election time-table outlining series of activities that would lead to the conduct of the elections which informed a litigation by the two dissenting political parties.
His words: “I am happy to inform you that as at Friday, 14th October, 2022, which was a day to the Election when we were at the Federal High Court, there was no legal inhibition preventing Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) from conducting the 2022 Local Government Elections In Osun State”.
He added that as at the time of the close of nomination and deadline given for withdrawal and substitution of candidates, only one party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) obtained and submitted the nomination forms for screening on behalf of its aspirants in all the Local Government Areas, Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) and Area Councils and were screened accordingly.
“The glaring implication of this is that we had only one validly nominated and cleared candidate for each of the Chairmanship, Vice Chairmanship and Councillorship positions for the elections of Saturday, 15″ October, 2022 in the State”.
He submitted that Section 35 of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission state “If after the latest time for the delivery of nomination papers and the withdrawal of candidates for election to the office of Councillor only one candidate remains duly nominated, that candidate shall be declared and returned unopposed”.
He noted that Yes and No mode of election was consequently conducted and winners subsequently elected.
ENDS
