From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all the 69 Local Government Areas, Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) and Area Councils election in Osun State.
The Chairman, Osun State Independent National Electoral Commission (OSIEC), Segun Oladitan, on Sunday announced the outcome of Saturday’s election at the commission’s office, in Osogbo, the state capital.
He explained that the 69 chairmen were elected through a Yes/No in line with Section 106(1) (a) & (b) of the Electoral Act 2022 while the councillors were returned unopposed pursuant to section 105(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
According to him, out of 16 political parties that agreed to participate in the election, only one party, APC, “obtained and submitted the nomination forms for screening on behalf of its aspirants in all the Local Government Areas, Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) and Area Councils in the State.”
He stated that all the chairmen, their vice and councillors have fulfilled the requirements of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and the Law of Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, 2022.
“Section 35 of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission state that “if after the latest time for the delivery of nomination papers and the withdrawal of candidates for election to the office of councillor only one candidate remains duly nominated, that candidate shall be declared and returned unopposed.
“By the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, Section 105(1) “if after the expiration of the time for the delivery of nomination papers and the withdrawal of candidates for election of Councillors under this Act only one candidate remains duly nominated, that candidate shall be declared and returned unopposed.
“For the Chairmanship, Osun State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2022 Section 33(2) “if after the latest time for the delivery of nomination papers and the withdrawal of candidates and extension of time as provided in subsection (1)(a) and (b) of this section for an election to the office of Chairman only one candidate remains duly nominated, that candidate shall be declared and returned unopposed.
“But this is in conflict with the Electoral Act 2022 Section 106(1) (a) & (b) which states that “a candidate for an election to the office of the Chairman shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office were being the only candidate nominated for the election he or she has the majority of YES vote over NO votes cast at the election and; not less than one-third of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the Wards in the Area Council,” he added.