Sixteen opposition political parties in Osun State have announced their withdrawal from the forthcoming local government election.
The next local government election in the state is scheduled for February 22, 2025, according to a previous announcement by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission.
Speaking to journalists in Osogbo on Monday on behalf of the opposition parties, the chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee for Osun State Victor Akande charged the chairman of the OSSIEC Hashim Abioye of purposefully withholding information regarding the process from the parties.
Akande also alleged that Abioye planned to employ PDP members as electoral officers for the poll, adding that information about the nomination fees for the posts that would be contested for were also not disclosed by Abioye.
He said, “We have reliably gathered that Abioye has perfected plans to use PDP members as Electoral Officers during the election, which we all know what it means. His intention is to trap us into conducting our parties’ primary elections without disclosing the amount each party will pay, which will, of course, lead to efforts in futility after announcing an exorbitant fee.
Reacting, Abioye dismissed allegations levelled against him, saying he was still consulting stakeholders before fixing the amount to be paid as nomination fees for the post.
Abioye, “It is unfortunate. I have only announced our intention as part of the preparatory arrangement towards the conduct of the election. We at the verge of appointing electoral officers and assistant electoral officers, we have not even drawn the list.
“We will consult with them, but not that any political party will nominate names for us to appoint as electoral officers and assistant electoral officers. So, I don’t know where the allegation is coming from. We are only in the process of appointing electoral officers and assistant electoral officers as part of preparatory arrangement towards the conduct of local government elections.
