Ondo LG poll postponed indefinitely

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has announced an indefinite postponement of the local government elections in the state.

This decision was made public by ODIEC Chairman, Dr. Joseph Aremo, during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Monday in Akure.

Initially scheduled for July 13, the elections were to cover the 18 local government areas and 33 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.

However, complications arose after a state High Court ruling in June declared the creation of the 33 LCDAs by the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as unconstitutional. The court’s decision was based on the fact that the law establishing the LCDAs was signed outside the state, in Ibadan.

Dr. Aremo highlighted that the non-compliance of political parties with the electoral process was a key factor in the postponement. He noted that political parties failed to submit their nomination forms and did not adhere to the adjusted timetable provided by ODIEC.

“As a precursor to the conduct of the election, between June 26 and June 28, political parties were expected to submit the lists of their agents,” Aremo explained. “However, as I speak, not a single party has complied. No valid nomination form was submitted.”

He further stated that the commission had clearly communicated the July 13 election date as sacrosanct during a previous meeting with political party leaders, who had agreed to follow the guidelines. Despite this agreement, the lack of compliance necessitated a review of the election process.

Aremo emphasized ODIEC’s commitment to conducting free and fair elections at the grassroots level but pointed out that adherence to rules and regulations is crucial for such processes. The commission, he said, would reassess the situation to determine the next steps.

Reacting to the postponement, the state chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr. Olaoluwa Adesanya, revealed that the decision to not participate in the election was a collective one made by all political parties in the state. The parties agreed to withhold nomination forms to facilitate a meeting with the state governor to discuss various issues within the government.

“We knew that the commission would have nothing to work with without the submission of nomination forms,” Adesanya stated, underscoring the strategic move by the political parties. He affirmed that the matter was between the government and the political parties, highlighting ODIEC’s independence in the process.

As the situation unfolds, the next steps for the local government elections in Ondo State remain uncertain, pending further deliberations and compliance from the involved political entities.

(NAN)