LG Autonomy: Osun to Conduct Council Elections in 2025 Despite Supreme Court Verdict, Gives Reason
- OSIEC, the electoral commission in Osun state, has clarified that its initial plan to conduct local government election in the state in February 2025 did not change
- Hashim Abioye, the chairman of OSIEC, maintained that the commission is not under pressure or experiencing legal hindrances to conduct the poll
- Abioye's comment followed recent verdict of the Supreme Court which granted financial autonomy to local government
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has stated that it is not under pressure to conduct local government elections despite Supreme Court's recent verdict granting local government financial autonomy.
According to OSIEC chairman, Hashim Abioye, the commission is proceeding with its scheduled timetable for the local government elections in February 2025.
Source: Twitter
Why Osun will conduct LG election in 2025
The Nation reported that Abioye emphasised that the notice of election is a critical aspect of the electoral process, and any defects could invalidate the election.
He assured that the notice given by OSIEC was in line with the law, having been issued at least 360 days before the election date, as required by the Electoral Act and OSSIEC Law.
The governor's caretaker committees will see their tenure elapse in August 2024, and Abioye expressed doubts about a potential tenure extension.
He said OSIEC is moving forward with its preparations for the local government elections, regardless of the Supreme Court's ruling.
Ajiboye said:
“Commission is under no pressure and legal hindrance to go ahead with its already scheduled timetable/activities for the conduct of local government elections in February 2025."
When did Supreme Court grant LG autonomy?
The Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to the local government on Thursday, July 11. The court condemned the governors' actions in installing caretaker committees and insisted that elected officials must run local government affairs.
According to the judgment, the federal government is also empowered to withhold the allocation of funds to local governments whose leadership is not elected.
El-Rufai reacts to Supreme Court judgment
Legit.ng earlier reported that the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, made a cryptic comment on the Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
El-Rufai quoted a tweet from the presidency that summarised the apex court's judgment with a terse comment saying God gives and takes.
The former governor's comment comes amid his ongoing political battle with Uba Sani, his successor in Kaduna state.
Proofreading by James Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
