Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), has expressed its readiness to refund the sum of N50,000 for Councillorship candidates and N250,000 for Chairmanship candidates as stated on Time-Table and guidelines released for local government council elections, coming up in the state.
The Commission also released the names of screened and qualified Chairmanship and Councillorship Candidates of 17 political parties who have signified their intentions to participate in the election, slated for May 22, 2021.
These were contained in a statement issued and signed by the Electoral Commissioner in charge of Voter Education, Prince Afeez Adeniyi, on behalf of the commission and made available to journalists in Ibadan .
Similarly,the statement stated that the commission has resolved to refund the money of those candidates that have paid before this pronouncement.
According to the statement, “the Commission wishes to seize this opportunity to inform the general public and specially political parties that our attention had just been drawn to the order of Oyo State High Court in Suit No.I/177/2004: NATIONAL CONSCIENCE PARTY V. OYO STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND ANOR. delivered on 18th March 2004 to the effect that sections 10 (b) (e) and (f) of the State Independent Electoral Commission Law of Oyo State contravene sections 7 (4), 106 and 107 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended).”
“In the circumstance, the commission hereby cancels payment of nomination fees of N50,000 for Councillorship candidates and N250,000 for Chairmanship candidates (as stated on Time Table and Guidelines for the Election) since the Constitution of Federal Republic takes precedence over any law or bylaws.”
Prince Adeniyi, therefore, enjoined all political parties that have signified to participate in the elections to submit the names of their party agents in the polling units, ward, collation centres and Local Government Collation Centers to OYSIEC offices in the 33 local government councils of Oyo State on or before the close of work on Tuesday, 19th May 2021 for further necessary actions on part of the Commission.
He reaffirmed that elections will take place in the 33 constitutionally recognized local government in the state from 8 am to 3 pm, adding that there shall be restrictions on human and vehicular movements throughout the time of the election.
The Commission, however, enjoined all eligible voters to turn out en masse on the date of election and assuring them that their votes will count, adding that May 22, 2021, announced by the commission as the election date remains intact.
