All arrangements have been concluded to hold local government elections in all 33 local government areas, 35 local council development areas and over 600 wards in Oyo State on May 11, 2018.
The state’s Governor Abiola Ajimobi who spoke against the backdrop of Wednesday’s ruling by Justice J.O. Abdulmalik which granted an interlocutory injunction restraining OYSIEC from conducting election into the new wards created by the commission in Ibarapa East said the ruling did not constrain the conduct of the LG election in the state but only in the disputed wards.
The applicants, which are five elders from Eruwa in Ibarapa East Local Government Area had prayed the court for an order on injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents or privies from using, relying on or employing the use of any electoral areas or wards and polling stations for the purpose of any elections in Oyo State, including local government elections, other than the electoral areas or wards and polling stations created by the INEC, pending the determination of the substantive action.
However, Ajimobi who said he was leaning on constitutional provisions that the courts had no power over the election and efforts at reaching compromise with the aggrieved parties, expressed positivity that election will hold even in the disputed wards.
Ajimobi made these disclosures while addressing a congregation of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state at party secretariat, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, ahead of the forthcoming LG election and ward congresses.
“There is this speculation across the state that the council poll will not hold as a result of the court judgment.
The court has not stopped us from conducting the election, except in some newly created wards.
“We are telling the court that it is in the constitution that no court has power over the election. We are telling you that in the wards mentioned and those that were not mentioned, we are going to conduct election there.
“We are in touch with the aggrieved members of the party that had gone to court. I want to assure you that the election will hold across the state, even in the disputed wards,” he said.
Speaking further, Ajimobi appealed to party members to ensure the success of the ward congress, warning that his administration will mandate security agencies to deal with those who foment trouble.
He also urged party leaders and members to reconcile aggrieved persons from ward to local government and state level.
“In any local government that has executive, if the executive wants to continue, and you agree, let them continue. If you don’t agree, go to the field. It is not automatic to be a member of the executive.”
Credit: tribuneonlineng.com
