Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
Oyo State Chapter of the Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has berated the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, for poor preparation and non-communication with stakeholders ahead the local government elections scheduled to hold in Saturday February 11, 2017.
During an interactions with newsmen in Ibadan, IPAC Chairman, Alhaji Waheed Oyewole noted that the announcement by OYSIEC to conduct the polls have not been met with the right attitude towards the actualisation of the said election.
Oyewole who expressed displeasure over what it described as a carefree attitude of the electoral body towards the polls, however maintained that IPAC by the action was not calling for a postponement of the council poll but calling on the electoral body to be alive to its responsibilities in accordance with the issued electoral time-table and laid down rules.
He express pessimism over the level of preparedness for the forthcoming elections stressing that the signals coming from the electoral body revealed its insincerity to organise a free, fair and credible election, if at all it did happen.
It would be recalled that OYSIEC had announced February 11 2017 as the date for conducting elections into the 33 LGAs and the newly created 35 Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs).
According to him, “The announcement by OYSIEC to conduct an election in February 11, 2017 has not been met with the right attitude towards the actualisation of the said election. The unpreparedness of OYSIEC has exposed their insincerity to conduct a free, fair and credible election if at all it did happen.
“As we speak, IPAC has written several letters to the Chairman of OYSIEC as regards the forthcoming council polls but there was never a reply from the Commission.
“ Apart from the time-table that was released, OYSIEC has failed to give out appropriate forms to all political parties for effective participation.
“We suspect the inevitable as regards OYSIEC failure to put up all machineries that’s should be in place. In view of all this, IPAC hereby enjoins OYSIEC to henceforth do the needful and communicate well with all political parties.”
“On the possibility of including the LCDAs in the election, the IPAC chairman said the council is imploring the electoral body to work towards spurring the confidence of all stakeholders in its ability to conduct a free, fair and credible poll come February 2017
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