The Oyo State House of Assembly has backed the recent dissolution of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC board by the Governor Seyi Makinde.
In a motion moved by the Majority leader and lawmaker representing Ogbomosho South on Tuesday plenary, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin, noted that the decision of the commission to conduct elections in 35 local council development areas (LCDAs) created by the immediate past administration in the State is unconstitutional.
“The OYSIEC in May, 2018 to organize elections into LCDAs in the State unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void because it negates the provisions of Section 4(a) part II of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“An amendment to Section 5(a) of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 1999 ought to have been sought or initiated by the government to accommodate the inclusion of the conduct of elections into LCDAs in the State by OYSIEC, but it empower OYSIEC to conduct elections into Local Government and not LCDAs,” he added.
According to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, Nigerian constitution which recognises 774 local government areas in the country is above every other State laws including Oyo State.
Speaking on the resolution of the house, Ogundoyin said that the dissolution of OYSIEC board by the Oyo State government was in the public interest and preservation of the sanctity of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said, “We are Nigerians first, before any religion or political affiliation and Oyo state is still part of Nigeria.
“We are not against the creation of LCDAs, because we also desire development in rural areas, which can be made possible when government is brought close to the people.
“The house will constitute an adhoc committee to investigate all activities of the Local government and LCDAs since May, 2018.
“We also urge the executive to urgently consider reconstitution of the OYSIEC that will organise fresh, free and fair elections into Local Government councils in conformity with the provisions of the laws, while administrators should be appointed into LCDAs.”
In a motion jointly moved by Hon. Asimiyu Alarape representing Atiba constituency and Hon. Olawunmi Oladeji on the dearth of teachers in most public schools in the rural areas, the house charged authorities to ensure strict equitable distribution of teachers to schools based on the students’ population of each school.
In his comment, the lawmaker representing Ibadan North Constituency II, Hon. Adebayo Babajide noted that people affected mostly by inadequate teachers are wards of poor parents.
“The rich can sponsor their children to private schools, but the less privileges in our society, in our rural areas do not have the resources, and that is while they depend on us as government.
“They constitute the larger percentage of electorates, and that’s while we need to make them priority.
“We charge the executive to encourage and provide social amenities like good roads, potable water, health centers and others to rural communities with a view to discourage rural-urban drift among school teachers,” he added.
The assembly therefore approved the appointment of 10 new Special Advisers to the Governor, as requested by the executive in a letter sent to the lawmakers.
