Inter-Party Advisory Council, (IPAC) an umbrella body of all political parties in Osun State said it will not participate in the forthcoming local Government elections in the state.
Recall that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) had fixed February February 22, 2025, for the conduct of local government elections in the state.
Chairman of IPAC in the state, Victor Akande, said backing out became imperative because the council has lost confidence in the sincerity of the chairman of the OSIEC, Ashim Abioye, to conduct credible local government elections in the state.
He contended that when Governor Ademola Adeleke submitted the name of a card-carrying member of his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Hassim Abioye, to the House of Assembly for confirmation as OSIEC chairman in November 2023, they vehemently kicked against it.
“Our position then, as Osun chapter of IPAC, was that Abioye is not legally fit to conduct free, fair and credible local government election in Osun. We opposed the brazen imposition of Abioye as INEC umpire as he was Adeleke’s Senior Special Assistant on Legal Matters then.
Akande noted that Abioye has denied them up-to-date information as being done by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) despite his allegiance to protect his integrity at a meeting he held with them early in the year.
Osun IPAC alleged that Abioye has perfected plans to use PDP members as Electoral Officers during the election which they all know what it means.
“We found it convenient to say that the PDP-led administration in the state is intentionally creating avenues for crisis all over so as to scare our people away from the forthcoming council election as only a secured mind will have courage of going out to vote for his/her choice.
“Political parties involved in this include Action Alliance, African Democratic Congress, Accord Party, Social Democratic Party, African Action Congress, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Allied Peoples Party and the Peoples Redemption Party.
“Others are, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Zenith Labour Party, Action
Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, Labour Party, Boot Party, National Rescue Movement and Young Peoples Party” Akande said.
However, OSIEC chairman denied the allegations raised against him saying he was committed to free, fair and credible elections in the state.
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