From Richard Akintade, Osogbo
Osun State Independent Electoral Commission Chairman, OSSIEC, Barrister Hashim Abioye, on Saturday reiterated that February 22, 2025 Local Government Elections remain sacrosanct while condemning the rumour making the rounds that the elections have been postponed.
Barrister Abioye assured the public to disregard the falsehoods spread on social media and remain focused as OSSIEC is already committed to conducting seamless, legitimate, crisis- free and credible elections, saying all necessary arrangements towards the success of the election have been made and concluded.
The OSSIEC Boss, who made this known stated further that no litigation currently posed a threat to the conduct of the polls, adding that, it has adhered strictly to legal guidelines throughout the process while promising that any plans by some politicians to frustrate the conduct of the exercise will completely fail.
Barr Abioye informed that six legal cases had been filed against the OSSIEC in various courts, including two appeals stemming from a Federal High Court judgement in November 2022.
According to him, “The 2022 ruling by the Federal High Court in Osogbo nullified the local government elections conducted that year and removed all elected officials, who were members of the All Progressives Congress ,APC”.
The OSSIEC Chairman revealed that one of the appeals against the ruling is still pending judgement, while the second appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in Akure on January 13, 2025 due to abandonment.
Barr Abioye said, “We must clarify that regardless of the pending appeal’s outcome, the Federal High Court ‘s judgement nullifying the 2022 elections remains valid and subsisting.
“It’s akin to someone with two convictions for the same crime, the other still stands even if one is overturned on appeal. This demonstrates the firm legal foundation of the current situation.
“Up till now, there is no court order against the conduct of the February 22nd election in Osun as it would definitely hold as planned by God’s grace”.
