Despite the Court of Appeal, sitting in Akure, ruling reinstating elected local government political functionaries in Osun State on Monday, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) has said that the office elections will still go as scheduled.
It would be recalled that the Ademola Adeleke-led administration dissolved the elected local government chairmen and councillors elected at the twilight of his predecessor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola’s administration. Since then, various quarters have had legal battles on the matter.
The chairman of the OSSIEC, Barr. Hassim Abioye addressed journalists in Osogbo yesterday, shortly after the Court of Appeal ruling, saying there was no order from any court stopping the conduct of the election already scheduled by the commission to be held on 22nd February 2025.
He noted that there was no order returning any purported elected officials of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to office as there was no order from any court reinstating them to office.
Abioye noted that the Court of Appeal only struck out the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge the conduct of the Osun State local government election in 2022.
He contended that the appellate court reasoned that the suit was filed before the notice of election was issued by OSSIEC, adding that it must be noted that it was during the pendency of the said suit before the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo in FHC/OS/CS/94/2022 that the OSSIEC Law 2022 was enacted and the notice of election was issued.
According to him, in specific terms, the thirty (30) local government areas in Osun State remain vacant as the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have substituted decisions against the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its purported candidates.
He urged the public to remain calm and all political parties to conduct peaceful campaigns as the state prepares for the 22nd of February 2025, which is slated for local government elections.
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