Osun LG Poll: Be Fair To All - Group Charges OSIEC

Ahead of the local government election in Osun State slated for 15, 2022, a group, The Osun Masterminds (TOM) has urged the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to ensure that its activities and plans for the process of the election are not unfair to any of the parties concerned.

This is as it noted that all legal requirements for the election must be followed to the letter and all parties are carried along in the rundown to the said election.

The group urges the populace to brace up and participate effectively in the electoral process by electing credible leaders without recourse to collecting gratification capable of jeopardising the future development of the state.

The Executive Director of the group, Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, in a statement, said the critical situations people are passing through should serve as a guide in the choice of good leaders.

"We believe today as we believed then, that the only way our Local Governments can ever deliver true value to the people is if there are elected officials in the Councils, who are directly answerable to the people who hand them mandates.

"Elected council officers also have constitutional powers vested in them to manage resources of the Local Governments for optimal delivery of democratic dividends.

"This need makes the conduct of Local Government elections a compulsory necessity.

“While we understand the above and the implications it has to the delivery of good governance to people at the grassroots, we also believe very strongly that the process that will facilitate the election of men and women into this critical arm of government must be near-perfect if perfection is completely impossible.

"It must be right in the eyes of the law and must be legally fair to all concerned.

“It is in the light of this that we have closely monitored the legal brickbats between the State Independent Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party, over the latter’s efforts to ensure the Local Government election does not hold, owing to their already expressed lack of confidence in OSSIEC’s willingness to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

“While we understand that there has been no Court judgment stopping OSSIEC from conducting the Local Government election, we still want to urge the Commission to carry along all parties involved in the rundown to the said election.”

The group charges the electoral umpire to ensure that it does not posture as being a mere tool in the hands of any political party, but an unbiased umpire providing a level playing ground for all political parties to participate, as they appeal to members of the public to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the process of participating in the election.

“The Local Government is a critical arm of government and citizens must ensure that the smooth running of its operations is not derailed with violence and/or anarchy.”

On the transition process, TOM said the State is presently in the process of a transition from one democratically elected government to another.

“This process has been made rather dramatic by the fact that the incoming political party differs from the incumbent and as such, the process has been characterized by a lot of bad blood, accusations and counter-accusations.

“While we do understand the PDP’s eagerness to take the reins of governance, we are compelled to sound a quick note of caution to the camp of the Governor-elect, especially as concerns the approach to engagements with the incumbent government.

“It must be stated that until the 27th day of November 2022, the mandate handed to Gov. Gboyega Oyetola remains valid and he in turn remains answerable to the people that he swore to govern.

"He must therefore be allowed to perform his duties till the last day in office, without needless blackmail, distractions and accusations.

"He must work in that office until the last day of his mandate and must be so respected as Governor until that date.

“We believe that regard begets regard. The incoming political camp must understand that they must accord the incumbent due regards, as they desire to also be accorded when they get into office."

The group implores the incumbent to ensure that it works closely with the incoming Governor’s camp to ensure a smooth transition that will guarantee the continuity of critical government policies and ensure the continued prosperity of the State’s people.

The group however acknowledged the large extent of illegal mining ongoing in several communities in the State.

“The manpower driving the reckless illegal mining ongoing in those parts of the State have been sourced through fearful migration of questionable characters into the State.

"These artisans and workmen are known to be armed and violent in most cases and they have the potential of becoming terrorists in the state.

“We cannot continue to hope that this almost-manifesting terrorism tendency will not become a complete collapse of security of lives in the State.

"We must take proactive measures to not only curb the influx of illegal miners into the State but also ensure that we secure our State by putting a permanent stop to the process of illegal mining that keeps attracting criminal elements into the State.

“While we congratulate the AIG Wale Olokode on his recent promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police, we must also put it before him that the security threats in the areas of the State where illegal mining is ongoing and those other security threats like cultism and political thuggery scattered around the State are tests of his mettle and capacity as a gallant Police Officer.

“The Osun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force must rise to the occasion to ensure that the present threats to our security do not become full-blown problems that may turn the State inside out.

"We must not fold our arms and watch illegal mining attract Boko Haram and ISWAP members into the State."