MUCH ADO ABOUT OSUN LG ELECTIONS
The Osun Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has announced October 15, 2022 as the date for local government and local council development area elections across Osun State. According to the commission, “all the inhibiting factors and circumstances against the conduct of the elections have been ameliorated.”
However, the Osun State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to boycott the elections because they would “be wasteful” as well as run afoul of “the provisions of Section 28 of the Electoral Act 2022.”
From the look of things, Osun PDP seems to be a lone ranger as other political parties have concluded plans to field candidates for the elections. According to the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the ‘umbrella’ party “is just one out of 18 political parties in the state.”As such, “its action … neither affects the integrity nor the credibility of the scheduled elections.”
In the events leading to the January 27, 2018 LG elections, I had written an article, entitled ‘Osun and the gospel of parliamentary democracy’, to comment on Section 22 of the Local Government (Administration) Law Cap 72A, Vol. 4, Laws of Osun State 2002 (as amended) which at the time constitutionally ratified parliamentary system of government for local governments in the state. The law has now been repealed to pave the way for a new law. ‘The State of Osun Local Government Areas Creation and Administration Amendment no 5 Law 2022’ has returned the presidential system to local government administration in the state. A new law, ‘The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2022’ was also enacted to allow OSIEC to “have its own law to guide and regulate its conduct.”
Of a fact, Nigeria’s political trajectory – from 1960 till date – is one that has culminated in the current chaos, lack of development and all sorts of social malady in our society. They are all the combined results of the kind of politics we have played. For instance, instead of preaching fire and brimstone sermons, condemning the Constitution-backed polls, why can’t Osun PDP work at putting its house in order? For God’s sake, it’s less than two months that the party arguably won Osun governorship election. So, what has suddenly changed? If it is that solid on ground; and, if it indeed won the people’s hearts, then, it shouldn’t be difficult to replicate the wining magic; except there is more to it than it is willing to tell the masses. It makes no sense that the party is anxiety-stricken simply because the incumbent governor, whom its candidate just defeated, is planning an election. What if at the end of the ongoing litigations, the court rules that there should be a rerun of the last gubernatorial election, does it mean that Osun PDP is not so sure that it will win?
As for the legality or otherwise of the polls, let Osun PDP stop its terrifying screams and allow a court of competent jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter. Essentially, instead of needlessly heating up the polity and expanding the frontiers of groundless rumours, it should tread the path of maturity. That’s how to make our democracy work!
While Osun PDP may be afraid of a woeful loss, should it partake of the elections, it is not in doubt that some members of the ruling party must have by now seen the folly of their contributions to the party’s uninspiring outing on July 16, 2022 and may want to tap into the anointing of the forthcoming exercise to salvage the situation. And we all know what that means!
Abiodun Komolafe, Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)
