Oyo: OYHA “2023” Hopeful, Jide Falade Congratulates APC, ALGON over S’Court Verdict, Urges OYSIEC to Reschedule LG Poll

Oyo: OYHA “2023” Hopeful, Jide Falade Congratulates APC, ALGON over S’Court Verdict, Urges OYSIEC to Reschedule LG Poll.

Oyo State House of Assembly Hopeful, come 2023, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC), from Egbeda Constituency, Hon. Jide Falade, has described the verdict of the Supreme Court which nullified the dissolution of the elected council officials by Governor Seyi Makinde as a welcome development which would deepen democracy at the grassroots of the country.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo-State had, on assumption of office on May 29, 2019, announced the sacking of the chairmen and councilors elected into 33 Local Government Areas s and 35 Local Council Development Areas in 2018 during the administration of late Senator Abiola Ajimobi on a claim that their election was illegitimate.

Reacting to the victory of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria(ALGON), Oyo-State chapter at the Apex Court on Friday 7th, May 2021, Falade in a statement issued on Monday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by his Personal Assistant (Media), Kolawole Akanmu, urged the State Independent Election Commission to suspend its plan to conduct a fresh council poll on May 22, 2021, to include All Progressives Congress(APC) in the exercise.

” The Ayodeji Abass-Alesinloye-led Oyo ALGON and Oyo APC have demonstrated their commitments to peace and harmony in the state by shunning all temptations to square it up with the PDP administration in view of the fact that every action and pronouncement of Gov Seyi Makinde since the day he used fiat to sack the elected council officials had been confrontational, provocative and unbecoming”, Falade stated.

“Through the period which the struggle lasted, Oyo ALGON and its members as well as the entire Oyo APC did not exhibit any doubt in their collective belief in the Judiciary as being capable of shielding democracy from civilian tyrants and anti-democratic forces. They held firm to their confidence in the Court which has now ruled that Gov. Makinde’s action was undemocratic, uncivilised and contemptuous”, he said.

Jide Falade called on the Isiaka Olagunju-led OYSIEC to exercise restraint in its plan to conduct a fresh Local Governments poll scheduled for this month. “Going ahead with the election would cast further doubt on the integrity of the Commission members who have been alleged to be working for the ruling party in the state”, Falade reiterated.

“There is no reason for OYSIEC to rush into the planned poll without adjusting it’s timetable to accommodate all registered political parties and genuine interest”, he lamented.

“Democracy at the local government level must not be reduced to a ‘comedy’ show and for our dear state to live up to expectations of people, we need to show the world that we can always do the right thing at the right time. An end must be put to unending litigation and manipulation which affect the growth and development of the local councils”, he maintained.

“OYSIEC needs to go back to the drawing board and avoid wasting the resources of the state on any kangaroo election in the state,” Falade concluded.