Members of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) have taken the Oyo State governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, to court over the dissolution of the Commission.
The Chairman and members of the commission, in seven separate suits, are challenging the premature dissolution and termination of their tenure of office.
In a report by Nigerian Tribune, they joined the Attorney General of the state, the Oyo state House of Assembly, the Head of Service in the suits filed at the National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.
They are praying the court for the following actions:
A declaration that the purported dissolution of the OYSIEC Commission and termination of the appointment of the claimants by the Governor is illegal null and void
Declaration that the resolution of the Oyo state house of assembly purporting to ratify such dissolution of the commission is illegal, null and void
A declaration that the Oyo state government letter terminating their appointment as chairman and members of OYSIEC and dissolving the commission, dated 1st July 2019 and issued by the Head of the service is illegal, unconstitutional and void
An order setting aside the said letter of dissolution terminating their appointment as Chairman and members of OYSIEC
An order of reinstatement of the claimants back on OYSIEC board and restoring all entitlements and rights
Injunction restraining the Oyo state government and its agencies from reconstituting or appointing any persons on the commission until the expiration of the claimants constitutional five-year tenure.
The claimants have also filed before the court an application seeking an interlocutory injunction against the Oyo state Governor, Oyo State House of Assembly, and others, to restrain them and their agents or servants from nominating, appointing, screening any person or reconstituting the commission (OYSIEC ) until the determination of their case.
InsideOyo reports that Governor Makinde had on July 1st dissolved the members of the commission and offer to pay them full service allowance for the period of their tenure.
The eight-man OYSIEC committee were Mr John Ajeigbe as Chairman, Mr Sunday Aborisade, Mr Adedeji Raimi, Mr David Adeagbo, Mrs Omolola Odekunbi, Alhaji AbdulRazaq Akuru, Mr Lateef Bello and Mr Rasheed Olajire.
The board and the management of OYSIEC conducted the 2018 local government election which the new government led by Seyi Makinde described as illegal. They case is pending in a law court.
