Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has asked the aggrieved 22political parties not listed for the July 24 councils'poll in the state, to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their exclusion
Chairman of the Commission, Mr.Babatunde Osibodu stated this in his reaction to the allegation by 22 political parties that the electoral agency did not capture them in the forthcoming elections
The OGSIEC boss in a recent chat with newsmen at its head office in Oke-Ilewo,Abeokuta, explains that the list the Commission is working with was gotten from INEC
According to Osibodu, “From the records we received from INEC, 17 Political Party are duly registered in the State, we cannot do otherwise and do not have power to deregister political parties. We got our record from INEC and that is what we stick to”.
On the allegation of granting audience to a faction of a political party at the expense of the other, he disclosed that the "Commission granted audience to all the factions but will however follow the counsel of legal experts before taking final decisions".
"OGSIEC has received a document from the aggrieved faction's Lawyer and it will be dealing with that lawyer", Osibodu revealed
He assured that OGSIEC would continue to collaborate with security agencies, in order to ensure security of lives and property before, during and after the election
The 22 political parties allegedly excluded include; Advanced Congress of Democratic (ACD), Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), All Blending Party( ACP), All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP), Alliance Social Democrats (ASD), Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Democratic People's Congress (DPC), and Green Party of Nigeria (GPN).
Others are Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN), Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN), New Generation Party of Nigeria) NGP), Nigeria for Democracy (NFD), People Coalition Party (PCP), Progressive People Alliance (PPA), People for Democratic Change (PDC), Young Democratic Party (YDP), Re-Build Nigeria Party (RBNP), Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), United Democratic Party (UDP), United Patriots (UP) and We the People Nigeria (WTPN).
The political parties in a petition written by their counsel, Olusoji Oduntan and addressed to the OGSIEC chairman, Babatunde Osibodu alleged that the electoral body excluded the 22 political parties by not contacting or informing them on the arrangement made for the forthcoming poll in the state.
Oduntan noted that the action of the OGSIEC is an infringement on the constitutional right of the 22 political parties.
He stressed that the alleged exclusion by the electoral body is against the electoral act.
The petition reads partly, "we are solicitors to advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) and other 21 political parties hereinafter collectively referred to as "Our Clients" and on their behalf and instruction we write their letter.
"Our Clients have informed us that your commission has fixed the 24th day july , 2021 for the local Government Election in Ogun state.
"That your commission has concluded plan plans to exclude them from participating in the said election since you have made no effort to contact or inform them on the proposed election;
"It appears therefore that our clients have been intentionally excluded from taking part in the upcoming Local Government Election which is against the spirit and intendment of the Electoral Act, 2021 as amended. It is clear infringement on the constitutional right of our clients to vote or to be voted for at elections.", the petition concluded
Meanwhile OGSIEC has asked various Political Parties participating in the forthcoming Local Government election to make use of Notary Public or the Ministry of Justice in order to get the Personal Data Forms of their candidates signed
The commission advised to take advice as alternative option to going to court since the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) are still on a nation-wide strike
Osibodu that this arrangement would afford political parties the opportunity of perfecting preparations ahead of the Tuesday, June 8 deadline submission of the Forms.
“We concluded party primaries last Thursday and it was very successful, we still await the list of their candidates and we know that each candidate will take their forms to the Court to affirm the information there in but the Court is on strike, we have made arrangements with the Ministry of Justice at Oke-Mosan, for them to have it done or in the alternative, any Notary Public across the state, for those who cannot come to Abeokuta to have their forms sworn to, so as to meet the deadline.
“As electoral umpires, we have continued to provide level playing field for all the political parties and we will not renege in our quest to organize free, fair and credible Local Government elections,” Osibodu said.
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