Posted by By AKEEB ALARAPE, Ibadan on
A resolve by the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to hold today, the controversial local government elections hitherto put on hold has sparked fresh stand-off between the rival political camps of Governor Rashidi Ladoja and veteran politician, Chief Lamidi Adedibu.
A resolve by the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to hold today, the controversial local government elections hitherto put on hold has sparked fresh stand-off between the rival political camps of Governor Rashidi Ladoja and veteran politician, Chief Lamidi Adedibu.
Already, announcement of the commission's decision on the state-owned broadcasting station (BCOS) on Wednesday set off violent reaction from supporters of Chief Adedibu, who invaded the station's premises and scared off staffers with volleys of gun shot released into the air. Some staffers of the station also suffered machette cuts.
The development has expectedly stirred tension and apprehension in the minds of voters and the people of the state as to what the day would bring.
The OYSIEC had announced that the council polls earlier suspended because of litigation would hold today in all the 33 local government areas that make up the state.
In a terse statement, personally signed by the OYSIEC chairman, Chief Oye Okunlola, the electoral commission asked all political parties in the state that have put forward names of candidates for the chairmanship and councillorships positions in the local government to cross-check their list at its headquarters or from offices of electoral officers in their respective local government areas.
However, in a swift reaction, the political camp of Adedibu, the self-acclaimed strongman of Ibadan politics, launched an attack on the premises of the state-owned broadcasting station while announcement about the decision of OYSIEC to conduct the election was being aired.
Eye-witnesses told Daily Sun how hoodlums in a convoy of commercial buses stormed the BCOS premises, at Bashorun area of Ibadan and started shooting indiscriminately before forcing their way into the studio.
As at the time of filing this report, most staffers of the broadcasting station were still in hiding while their mobile telephones could not be reached.
Justifying the holding of the election, the state's Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, told newsmen that there was no legal impediment against the council poll as the new judge handling the case, Justice Muktar Abimbola, had declined jurisdiction in the hearing of the case.
Shittu also disclosed that the appeal filed against the earlier ruling of Justice Iyabo Yerima, which restrained OYSIEC from going ahead with the election, had been withdrawn as it was no longer relevant since the case has been withdrawn and reassigned to another judge.
"The OYSIEC decided to conduct the election because there is no more litigation in the court of Justice Iyabo Yerima that earlier ruled that the election should not hold. The case has been taken away from her and reassigned to another judge by the Acting Chief Judge.
"It was transferred because there were series of petitions against the conduct and ruling of the judge over the matter. She was seen to be against Governor Rashidi Ladoja even before the matter was assigned to her. In law, when a matter is transferred out of court and is reassigned, all orders, interlocutory injunctions and rulings that might have been given stand abated because the matter commences de novo. In law, no ruling exists now. That is why with legal advice, OYSIEC is rescheduling the election for tomorrow," he said.
The AG cited the case of Otunba Iyiola Omisore when he was granted bail during the murder trial of the late Chief Bola Ige and another court of Justice Mashud Abass had to send him back to prison when the case was reassigned to Abass.
On the appeal filed by the OYSIEC against the ruling of Justice Yerima, Shittu explained: "The appeal becomes unnecessary with the transfer of the case from her. The case has not been entered at the Court of Appeal. So, we have no hindrance anymore".
Meanwhile, the camp of the state's governor-elect, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, has also kicked against the council election, saying that it would be nullified on May 29 after the inauguration of Akala's government.
In a statement signed by Chief Olayiwola Lakojo, erstwhile secretary to the State government, the election was described as "illegal, ill-conceived and mischievous."
The statement urged the people of the state to discountenance it.