Election date: We are not under obligation to consult political parties – OGSIEC

By Folorunsho Alagbede

Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, (OGSIEC) Babatunde Osibodu, has said the Commission is not under any obligation to consult political parties or candidates before fixing an election date.
Osibodu stated this yesterday at the Commission’s headquarters in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta.
Peoples Daily reports that 16 political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of Nigeria, Labour Party (LP) African Democratic Party, and (ADC), amongst others, had in suit number AB/577/2024 challenged the imposition of administrative charges and the timetable released by OGSIEC.
Osibodu stressed that the High Court ruling in Abeokuta, upheld OGSIEC’s authority and prerogative to fix election dates, as well as conduct Local Government Elections in the state.
He pointed out that, “the judgement delivered by Justice Tajudeen Ogunsokan, reinforces the Commission’s mandate at ensuring a free, fair, credible and transparent elections across the 236 wards in the state”.
He reiterated the Commission’s commitment towards creating a level playing field for all political parties, noting that, “the ruling does not only support our procedures but also emphasises our responsibility to uphold the election timetable”.
The Chairman assured that the Commission was prepared for the coming elections, just as it remains open to constructive dialogue and collaborations with all stakeholders, as well as adhering to the legal framework guiding its operations.