Tag: Osun Election

  • Osun Election: Supreme Court Fixes Tuesday For Judgement

    Osun Election: Supreme Court Fixes Tuesday For Judgement

    The Supreme Court has fixed May 9 for judgment in the appeal filed by former Osun Governor, Gboyega Oyetola against the election of Ademola Adeleke.

    In his appeal, Mister Oyetola is seeking the reversal of the March 25 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which affirmed Adeleke’s victory in the last governorship election in Osun State.

    The Appeal Court had, in its judgement, set aside an earlier judgment by the Osun Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which held in favour of Oyetola and removed Ademola Adeleke.

    A five-member panel of the Supreme Court announced the date after taking arguments from lawyers to parties on Monday.

    Details Shortly…

  • Osun Election: PDP replies Oyetola’s petition, asks tribunal to dismiss case

    Osun Election: PDP replies Oyetola’s petition, asks tribunal to dismiss case

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has responded to the petition filed by Governor Gboyega Oyetola before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

    Governor Oyetola, who is the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) is challenging the result of the July 16 governorship election before the tribunal.

    Oyetola and APC claimed that there was over-voting in some local government areas in the state in the gubernatorial poll.

    The Caretaker Committee Chairman, Osun PDP, Dr Adekunle Akindele in his response asked the Election tribunal to dismiss Oyetola’s petition, describing it as frivolous, baseless and un-meritorious.

    He noted that Adeleke was duly declared the winner, stating that there was no over-voting in any of the polling units being challenged by Oyetola and his APC

    Maintaining that the election was free, fair and credible without any iota of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, PDP said the allegations listed in Oyetola’s petition are lame and imaginary.

    Akindele concluded that the petition filed by Oyetola and the APC are time-wasting and effort in futility, added that Senator Ademola Adeleke, who is the candidate of PDP and governor-elect fulfilled all qualification criteria and conditions to run for the election.

  • Oyetola Submit Petition To Challenge Adeleke’s Victory After Osun Election

    Oyetola Submit Petition To Challenge Adeleke’s Victory After Osun Election

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the July 16 Osun State Governorship election, Gboyega Oyetola have filed a petition at the tribunal to challenge the results of the election.

    Both Governor Oyetola and the APC Chairman in the state, Gboyega Famodun signed the petition before it was submitted at the tribunal by their legal team.

    Speaking shortly after, Famodun and head of the legal team, Rasheed Adegoke said the party and its candidate have a good case.

    “We have the advise of our legal personnel,” Famodun said.

    “They have given us assurance that we have a good case. And I believe so.

    “A lot of people are here today, believing that we have a good case. And I think by the grace of God, we will have a cause to jubilate at the end of the day.”

    Adegoke confirmed that the petition “has been received by the registry of the tribunal.

    “In the next few days, activities will be in top gear with respect to the proceedings of the tribunal.

    “So we are here today with the petition, which has fundamentals grounds upon which we believe the election ought to have been returned in favour of Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola and All Progressives Congress.

    “So, that’s the essence of the election.”

  • INEC Begins Distribution Of Sensitive Materials Ahead of Osun Election

    INEC Begins Distribution Of Sensitive Materials Ahead of Osun Election

    While handing out the materials, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Abdulganiy Raji said the electoral officers would take the items to their councils where they would be sent to the polling units on Saturday morning.

    According to him, the move is to ensure efficient delivery of the items to the polling units on Saturday.

    INEC officials begin the distribution of elector materials for the Osun election.

    As part of their strategies to boost their chances in the polls, the dominant parties – the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – both held their mega rally to woo the electorates to vote for them.

    While former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuff Lasun is the LP’s candidate, the PDP is fielding Senator Ademola Adeleke as its flagbearer with the incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola seeking re-election under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Both men will slug it out on Saturday with the people of Osun State to decide who will govern them for the next four years.

  • Osun Election: Oyetola To Know Fate In Disqualification Suit On Thursday

    Osun Election: Oyetola To Know Fate In Disqualification Suit On Thursday

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Thursday to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the disqualification of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the July 16 governorship election.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on Wednesday after counsel for the parties adopted their processes and presented their arguments in the matter.

    The plaintiff in the suit and a chieftain of the APC, Moshood Adeoti, had filed the matter through his legal team led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chiesonu Okpoko.

    Adeoti was one of the aspirants who lost the APC governorship ticket to Governor Oyetola in the party’s primary held on February 19.

    In the originating summons, he prayed the court to nullify Oyetola’s candidacy on the grounds that the governor contested in the poll as a member of the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

    The plaintiff said the act contravened the provisions of Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 31(iii) of the APC, October 2014 (as amended).

    According to him, the second defendant (Oyetola) ought to have resigned his membership of the APC’s CECPC and leave office as an officer of APC at least 30 days prior to the date of the Osun State primary election, to qualify for participation in the said party primary election.

    More to follow…

  • Parties like Labour Party will labour till they die  – Tinubu

    Parties like Labour Party will labour till they die – Tinubu

    Ahead of the governorship election in Osun State, the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party, LP, in the state.

    Tinubu said the PDP and Labour Party will labour till death.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had scheduled the Osun State governorship election to hold on July 16.

    Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola is seeking to return to power for his second term, while Ademola Adeleke of the PDP is the front runner for the gubernatorial race.

    LP has Lasun Yusuf as its governorship candidate.

    However, Tinubu dismissed the possibility of PDP and LP giving the APC a stiff contest.

    Speaking at the party’s mega rally, he described PDP and LP as “mushroom parties”.

    He urged residents of Osun State to consider their future and vote for APC.

    According to Tinubu: “I ask you to please do the same thing you did in Ekiti. Come out with your PVCs and vote massively for APC.

    “The voting is now in your hand. Be very vigilant. Be watchful. You will not do it in vain.

    “Think about your children and vote accordingly so you can see the future. Come out en masse. Don’t mind PDP and other mushroom parties — parties like Labour; they will labour till they die. God will not make you labourers.”

  • Osun Election: Police Issue Stern Warning, Deploy 21,000 Personnel

    Osun Election: Police Issue Stern Warning, Deploy 21,000 Personnel

    The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has issued a strong warning to anyone who plans to disrupt the Osun State governorship election scheduled for July 16.

    According to him, the Police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone found wanting throughout the period of the exercise to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Baba gave the warning on Tuesday gave the warning at the stakeholders’ meeting organised by the electoral umpire in Osogbo, the state capital.

    He also said 21,000 security personnel have been deployed for the governorship election.

    This deployment, according to the IGP, is not meant to intimidate law-abiding citizens, but tame undemocratic moves.

    He assured eligible voters to go out and exercise their franchise without fear, saying the 332 wards of the 30 local government areas of the state would be well-secured.

    Also speaking at the event, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, appealed to the candidates to desist from inducing voters and avoid being led by their desperation.

    The traditional ruler is confident that the election will be peaceful and worth the efforts by relevant agencies towards its success.

    INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun, Professor Abdulganiy Raji, also gave an update on the preparation of the electoral umpire for the election.

    He revealed that polling units have been moved away from controversial areas such as the front of houses of politicians, front of palaces, and religious centres, either to open spaces or public buildings.

    “This action is to ensure adequate security and peaceful elections. Flashpoints have been identified and strategies (have been) mapped out to resolve issues that can truncate the election process,” he said.

    The REC also hinted at the conversion of voting points to polling units in a bid to ensure the expansion of voter access to polling units.

    He confirmed that all non-sensitive materials to be used in Saturday’s election have been batched to the polling unit level and ready to be conveyed to the various Registration Area Centres (RACs).

    Noting that the sensitive materials were expected sometime on Tuesday, Professor Raji stated that the commission has concluded the production of maps of all polling units in the state – both electronically and hardcopy – for ease of movement and location of polling units by electoral officials.

    He stressed that poll officials have been prepared for the exercise and ready for deployment, adding that the security personnel in the state have been trained.

  • INEC Promises Transparent Osun Election, Says Electorate Will Decide Winner

    INEC Promises Transparent Osun Election, Says Electorate Will Decide Winner

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to ensure a transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State.

    INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stated this on Tuesday while addressing a gathering at a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the state capital.

    He said the commission has listened to stakeholders across the board who emphasised transparency, inclusivity, and credibility of the election, as well as security and peaceful conduct of the exercise.

    “For us in INEC, let me reassure political parties, candidates, and the electorate that the choice of who becomes the next governor of Osun State is entirely in the hands of voters,” Yakubu avowed.

    “As I have repeatedly said in previous engagements with stakeholders, INEC will not take any action to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate. Our focus is on the processes and procedures as provided by law.”

    According to him, the electoral umpire has successfully implemented 12 out of 14 activities contained in the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.

    The INEC chief stated that the only two outstanding activities left were the last day of campaigns by political parties and Election Day activities.

    He informed the meeting that the commission has taken every step and made every arrangement for the successful conduct of the election, as well as held consultative meetings with political parties and their candidates.

    Stressing that they got the support of traditional rulers and religious leaders for the election, Yakubu said the commission recruited, trained and carefully screened all categories of ad-hoc staff to be deployed to the field.

    Read the full text of his address at the meeting below:

    First, I would like to join our Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Osun State, Professor Abdulganiy Raji, and the supervising National Commissioner, Professor Kunle Ajayi, to welcome you once again to this very important engagement with stakeholders.

    In particular, I would like to welcome the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba. As the head of the lead agency in internal security, no Nigerian is in a better position to address the triple dimensions of securing the process in Osun State before, during and after the election than him.

    As you are all aware, the Osun State Governorship election 2022 will hold this Saturday after several months of preparations since the Commission released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities in June last year. The election is significant in many respects, not least because it is also the last major off-cycle election before the 2023 General Election, which is just 227 days (or 7 months and 5 days) away.

    Over the last few months, but especially as the election draws near, the Commission has carefully listened to stakeholders across the board. As was the case in previous elections, various stakeholders would like to be given assurances in two critical areas.

    First is the transparency, inclusivity and credibility of the election; and, secondly, its security and peaceful conduct. We are taking both issues very seriously. I will speak about our preparations for a free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive election while I leave the issue of security to the Inspector General of Police.

    For us in INEC, let me reassure political parties, candidates and the electorate that the choice of who becomes the next Governor of Osun State is entirely in the hands of voters. As I have repeatedly said in previous engagements with stakeholders, INEC will not take any action to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate.

    Our focus is on the processes and procedures as provided by law. So far, we have successfully implemented 12 out of 14 activities contained in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election. The only two outstanding activities are the last day of the campaign by political parties which ends at midnight on Thursday 14th July 2022 and Election Day activities on Saturday 16th July 2022.

    The Commission has taken every step and made every arrangement for the successful conduct of the Governorship election this weekend. We held consultative meetings with political parties and their candidates. We had several engagements with the security agencies at the national, state and local government levels. We consulted with stakeholders. We sought for and received, the blessings of royal fathers and religious leaders. We have recruited, trained and carefully screened all categories of ad-hoc staff to be deployed to the field.

    All non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to all our 30 Local Government Area offices across the state. Voter education and sensitisation is ongoing. We have made arrangements for the transportation of personnel and materials to ensure that polling units open on schedule on Election Day.

    For more effective supervision of the process, we are deploying five national commissioners, 12 Resident Electoral Commissioners and many senior officials to support our state office here in Osun to deliver credible elections.

    Voter registration was carried out all over the State, including the devolution of the exercise to the 332 Wards across the State. We have printed and delivered the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for collection by all valid registrants in the state.

    When we visited Osun last week to assess our readiness for the election, concerns were expressed about the availability of the PVCs, especially for those who applied for transfer of their registration to Osun State or to new locations within the state. I am glad to report that we have delivered the PVCs for fresh registrants, transfers, and requests for replacement of cards as a result of loss, damage or incorrect personal details such as names, dates of birth etc. as provided by law.

    Furthermore, in our effort to ensure that more voters collect their PVCs before the election, the Commission took the following additional measures with effect from Thursday last week:

    Devolved the collection of PVCs from our 30 Local Government offices to each of the 332 wards across the state, thereby increasing the number of collection centres and bringing the process closer to voters;

    Working all days of the week, including the weekend and public holidays to serve voters;

    Extending the last date for the collection of PVCs to Thursday 14th July 2022 i.e. 24 hours to the election.

    I appeal to all registered voters that are yet to collect their PVCs to seize the opportunity of the additional measures to do so. Many of the PVCs have already been collected by citizens. Of the 1,955,657 registered voters in Osun State, 1,479,595 (or 76%) have collected their cards as of Sunday 10th July 2022. We are also updating our records to provide a detailed breakdown of PVCs collected by polling units.

    This will be concluded and made available on Friday 15th July 2022. This is important because the total number of PVCs collected will be used to determine the margin of lead principle, as against the total number of registered voters in line with our Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022 derived from the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

    To underscore our commitment to an inclusive, credible and transparent electoral process, the Commission is deploying assistive devices for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) to have a more pleasant voting experience on Election Day. Magnifying glasses, Braille Ballot Guides and Posters for voters with hard of hearing conditions will be deployed at the polling unit level in areas of need based on data collected in collaboration with the PwD community.

    Similarly, our revised Regulations and Guidelines provide for priority to be accorded at polling units to PwDs without waiting in long queues during voting as is the case with elderly people, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Beyond these measures, we also want to make PwDs get more involved in election administration like everyone else.

    In this regard, the 2022 Osun State Governorship election will also make history, being the first election in which INEC is deploying PwDs as ad hoc staff. Thirty-five (35) serving NYSC members with one form of disability or another have been identified, trained and engaged as ad hoc staff at the polling unit level. I appeal to all stakeholders to cooperate with, and protect them, as well as all other ad hoc staff, in our effort to make our electoral process more inclusive and participatory.

    The Commission continues to deploy technology in the electoral process both as a matter of practice and a requirement of the law. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed for voter accreditation and uploading of election results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal on Election Day. Steps have been taken to ensure that the BVAS machines function optimally during voter accreditation based on lessons learnt from the conduct of recent elections.

    A few weeks ago, a mock accreditation exercise was conducted in polling units across the State. I personally observed the exercise in Osogbo and Boripe LGAs in Osun Central as well as Ede South and Egbedore LGAs in Osun West Senatorial Districts. I also visited our Ife Central, Ife East and Ife North LGA offices in Osun East Senatorial District.

    We are encouraged by the successful outcome of the mock exercise and the level of preparations by our offices. We have also trained enough Registration Area Technical Support Staff (RATECHs) and made adequate transportation arrangements for their rapid response in the event of reported glitches on Election Day.

    The Commission has accredited Polling Agents nominated by political parties for the 3,763 polling units, 332 Ward collation centres, 30 Local Government Area collation centres and the State Collation Centre where the final declaration of result will be made. As an indication of the intense national and international interest in the 2022 Osun State Governorship Election, 87 Observer groups (79 domestic and 8 international) deploying a total of 7,790 field observers have been accredited for the election. Similarly, 94 media organisations (92 national and 2 international) deploying 624 journalists have been accredited to cover the election.

    On Election Day, the national headquarters of INEC in Abuja will monitor the election throughout the state. Our Zoom Situation Room will be activated. We are working to ensure that accredited observers and the media are invited to join us at intervals to provide live reports from the field. At the same time, citizens can contact us on our various platforms such as the toll-free INEC Citizens Contact Centre (ICCC) telephone line in addition to our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

    I cannot conclude my remarks without addressing a matter of serious concern to our elections. Here, I am referring to sundry violations of our electoral law, including the diabolical practice of vote-buying in which voters are financially induced to vote one way or another.

    It is obvious that the more the Commission and other stakeholders work hard to progressively improve the quality of national elections in Nigeria, the more some retrogressive elements try to undermine the process.

    While we will continue to work with the security and anti-corruption agencies to confront this challenge, our effort will be given a boost by the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal as recommended by the Uwais Committee in 2009, reinforced by the Lemu Committee in 2011 and the Nnamani Committee in 2017.

    Happily, the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal Bill is under consideration of the National Assembly. INEC supports this initiative and appeals to the National Assembly for a speedy conclusion and passage of the Bill into law.

    Before I conclude, I would like to seize this opportunity to invite you all to the signing of the Peace Accord by parties and candidates under the auspices of the National Peace Committee chaired by our respected former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar GCFR. The occasion is holding in this hall at 10 am tomorrow Wednesday 13th July 2022.

    Once again, I welcome the Inspector-General of Police, leaders and candidates of political parties, and all other stakeholders, to this meeting. I wish to reassure you that the Commission has taken every step to ensure that the election this weekend is free, fair, transparent, credible, inclusive and conclusive.

    I thank you all for your presence and God bless.

  • Osun Election: Candidates To Sign Peace Accord On July 13 – Peace Committee

    Osun Election: Candidates To Sign Peace Accord On July 13 – Peace Committee

    Ahead of the July 16 governorship election in Osun State, political candidates and their parties will on Wednesday sign a Peace Accord to commit themselves to the smooth conduct of the exercise.

    Chairman of the committee and former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd), stated this via a statement issued on Sunday.

    “The NPC hereby wishes to announce that a peace accord will be signed by the various political parties and stakeholders on 13th July 2022, in Osogbo, Osun State,” he said.

    Abubakar also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and all stakeholders to consolidate on the success of the recently held Ekiti State governorship poll.

    He equally appealed to the electorate to come out en masse, exercising their civic rights to vote, without fear of violence and with the understanding that the structures for growth are dependent on peace, and also expressed concern over the growing trend of vote-buying.

    The National Peace Committee further called on all stakeholders in the traditional institutions, media, and civil society to be alert to their responsibilities as envoys of democratic values which are the means to attaining good governance, resulting in the nation’s collective growth and development.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)–the elections ombudsman, security agencies, and other government agencies that facilitate the conduct of the electoral process should do so with transparency, particularly because the entire nation and the world are watching. All contestants – irrespective of their political platform, should be treated with fairness and equity. We call on INEC and the security agencies to ensure inclusivity, facilitating an electoral exercise where the electorate is not disenfranchised because of gender, religious beliefs, ethnic affiliation, or disability.

    ” It is important that public trust in the process is continually built and reinforced through free, credible, and transparent elections in the state. We particularly urge that appropriate procedure are implemented to ensure the unhealthy and seemingly pervasive practice of voter inducement, commonly called “vote-buying”. The law in all its capacity and requirements should be applied to those involved in such a criminal act, both the buyer and seller,” Abubakar added.