The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has fixed Saturday 8th October, 2016 for the conduct of elections into 20 Local Government Areas and newly-created 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state.
The elections into 20 Local Government Areas and newly-created 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state are coming after one year after the expiration of duly-elected chairmen and councillors, but the government has been appointing caretaker committees since the expiration.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the election timetable in Abeokuta on Monday, Risikat Ogunfemi, Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, (OGSIEC), explained that the decision is in line with section 197(1)(b) constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and section 10(1) of Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2007 (as amended).
According to the election timetable, party activities, including campaigns and party primaries will commence between 11th – 15th July, 2016, while collection of Personal Data Forms for their candidates will be held between Monday 25th and Thursday, 28th July 2016.
Ogunfemi said Chairmanship candidates screening would take place between 5th and 6th August, while the Councillorship candidates would be screened between 2nd and 4th, also in August. Nomination forms of cleared candidate, she said, are to be submitted between 5th and 15th September, while campaigns end 24 hours before the election.
The Chairman, who assured a level-playing field for all participating political parties, appealed to youths, not to allow themselves to be used as instruments of violence.
Mutiu Agboke, Commissioner III of the Commission, added that collection of forms would be free of charge.
According to him, all political parties accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC would be allowed to participate, adding that Permanent Voter Cards would be used in the election.
Assuring the people of the state of credible, free and fair elections, Agboke recalled that all 12 pre-election and 43 post election cases during the 2012 local government elections in the state were won by the commission.
The Commissioner said OGSIEC would be ready and deal decisively with antics of politicians who might want to create one problem or the other.
On factionalisation of political parties, Agboke said the Commission would act with the position and direction of INEC.
