The All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, disagreed over the composition of members of Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Governor Seyi Makinde on Thursday forwarded the names of the chairman and members of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission to the state assembly for its screening and passage.
The APC State Chairman, Chief Akin Oke, faulted the composition of the OYSIEC members in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), describing the action of the governor as pure “impunity“.
Oke, who expressed disappointment over the development said, “We knew that this governor will not have regards or respect for the Rule of Law.
“Our party has taken the governor to court over the sack or dissolution of a body that was legally constituted, it may, however, interest you to know that the members are also in court to challenge their dissolution.
“My advice for him is that he should endeavour to follow the rule of law in ruling the state.”
Reacting, the spokesperson of PDP in Oyo State, Mr Akeem Olatunji, described the outcry of APC, as “baseless and unfounded”.
He opined that the governor was constitutionally right to have forwarded names of new OYSIEC members to the state assembly for approval.
He said that the former members of the electoral body was dissolved by the state assembly and not the governor.
“I agree that the dissolved body is in court, but did they obtain a court injunction to stop the governor from constituting another body?.
“The dissolved OYSIEC has contradicted the laws that established it and that is why the state house of assembly lawfully dissolved it.
“The laws gave them mandate to conduct elections into the 33 councils areas in the state, instead, they conducted elections into 68 without amending the Laws.
“Can INEC conduct elections into more than 36 states without first amending the constitution?
”If APC thinks it is popular, it should start preparing because this election will be free, fair and credible,” he said.
