By; Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi has hinted that local government elections will now hold across the 33 councils in the state in September this year.
The governor dropped this hint while speaking at the swearing in ceremony of the 8-man member of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) held at the State executive chamber of the governor’s office,
According to Governor Ajimobi, members of the 8-man OYSIEC “are non politicians but accomplished men and women in their various fields of human endeavour” and that he has no personal knowledge or relations with any one of them
He pointed out that his constituting the Commission “is in line with the desire of his administration to fulfill the aspiration and satisfy the yearnings of the people of the state longing for participation in democratic process, as well as “is in line with the constitutional provision which stipulates that election into local government council must be conducted ninety days after the setting up of state independent electoral commission”
“This is another opportunity to open a new chapter in the history of our state. It is another signpost to show the commitment of our administration to grassroot democratic participation. I can assure you that all the OYSIEC members been inaugurated today have been carefully selected and screened based on their recommendation by others. They are non-politician but accomplished men in their various fields,” he said.
Stressing that the state government was unable to conduct the local government polls since 2011 as a result of some legal entanglement as per the membership of the commission before his assumption of office, he said the legal hurdles against constituting membership of the commission was only recently surmounted.
He however urged the people of the state to be ready for the elections in September, saying, “I assure you that the coming election will pass all known tenets of transparency, credibility that we all know“.
Governor Ajimobi then charged members of the electoral body to live above board by organising election that would be transparent and credible, called on all the parties that would be participating to put machinery in place to ensure an all encompassing and hitch-free election
Members of the 8 man OYSIEC are Mr Ajeigbe John Olajide (Chairman), Mr. Adedeji Raheem Alabi, Mr. Abdulamin Akuru and Mrs. Omolola Odekumbi. Others are Mr. Oyekanmi Rasheed, Mr. Aborishade Adeola, Mr. David Adeagbo and Alhaji Bello Alabi
