Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has reaffirmed that the local government election scheduled for Saturday will proceed as planned under the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC).
He made this declaration while receiving a delegation from a civil society coalition in the state to monitor the election.
The governor’s stance follows a statement by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Thursday, urging him to halt the polls.
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Fagbemi cautioned that proceeding with the election would be unconstitutional and invalid, citing the Court of Appeal’s decision to reinstate the allegedly dismissed local government officials.
Despite this, Adeleke emphasised that voters in the state are ready to exercise their electoral rights on Saturday and expressed confidence in the level of preparedness demonstrated by the electoral commission.
“I welcome you all to Osun State. Our people are prepared for elections tomorrow. They yearn to have their choices as chairmen and councillors.
“OSIEC has also done a marvellous preparatory job according to reports at my disposal. Several political parties are participating and I believe there will be a level playing ground for all to test their popularity with the masses”, the governor told the visiting activists.
Amid the controversy surrounding the election, the governor reaffirmed that democracy is guided by the rule of law and that no individual can usurp the authority of the courts.
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He called on all parties, including local and national stakeholders, to uphold democratic principles, emphasizing that both he and the citizens remain committed to the rule of law, not unlawful self-help.
“Election is going to hold, and the outcome will be a fast-tracked development at the local level. I urge our people to remain peaceful. Osun is a truly peaceful state”, Governor Adeleke noted.
