LG Autonomy: Osun IPAC Pleads With FG Not To Withhold Allocation

-Passes Vote Of Confidence On OSSIEC

By Khadeejah Adedimeji, Osogbo

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Osun State capital has appealed on the Federal Government not to withhold the allocation of the 30 Local Government Areas(LGAs) of the state over state failure to elect council executives.

It would be recalled that the Supreme Court had granted financial autonomy to LGAs and FG gave three months ultimatum which will lapsed on October 10th 2024 to elect executive and failure to that will result to stoppage of their allocation.

New Telegraph reports that the OSSIEC had fixed February 22 for the conduct of the Local Government election in the state.

Meanwhile, political parties under the umbrella of IPAC on Tuesday while addressing newsmen after a stakeholders meeting at the OSSIEC office in Osogbo, capital of Osun State urged Federal Government not to stop the allocation of LGAs in Osun State, noting that process to elect executives is in the pipeline.

Victor Akande, the IPAC and Osun State Accord Party Chairman, explained that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has started the process of conducting the LG election before the Federal government granted the autonomy.

“We are beckoning on the Federal Government not to withhold the allocation of all the LGs in Osun State because we in Osun State, the OSIEC team has started the process of conducting the LG election since January before the idea of going to the Supreme Court has even come to the mind of the FG.

“…the OSIEC team has started the process of conducting the LG election since January before the idea of going to the Supreme Court has even come to the mind of the FG.

“Therefore so far Osun State is already in the process and they have not erred in the side of the law because the Osun State Law stated that the election notice is to be given 360 days before the day of the conduct of the election that is also in tandem with the electoral law of Year 2022.” he stated.

He also assured Osun State citizens not to be panic as due processes are in place in accordance with the law to prevent the FG from withholding the allocation.

“We are beckoning on the citizens of Osun State to be at peace and to be rest assured that we know that our govt have listening ears and they are going to listen to us not to withhold our allocation.” he assured.

However, the political parties passed vote of confidence on OSSIEC on the ground that state Electoral umpire has convinced them beyond reasonable doubt it would be transparent enough to conduct credible, free and fair election

“The political parties agreed that OSIEC team has convinced us beyond reasonable doubt that they will be transparent and they will conduct a credible, free and fair election come February 2025.

“Therefore we have given them our vote of confidence today that we will give all support that they need so that the election will be an election that will be referred to as free and fair election all over Nigeria and that is our first resolution.

“We gave them hand of fellowship that we have confidence in them, that we trust them that they will conduct free, fair and credible election.

“The second resolution we made in this special interaction with OSIEC and other political stakeholders is that there will be a peaceful campaign come February 2025.

“The campaign has began according to the tag given to us so we all agreed that political parties are going to relate this to all our members that there should be peaceful campaign and we are in support of OSIEC campaign against cybercrime, cultism and drug abuse.

“That we should make sure that this election should be free from violence and that no single blood of citizen worth the post of any politician”.

Speaking, the OSSIEC Chairman, Barrister Ashim Abioye assured the people of the state that the commission would ensure it conduct free, fair and credible election.