26th June, 2012
Nigeria’s Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) said it will continue with its plans for the July 21 local government elections in the state inspite of a Federal High Court ruling on Monday halting it.
Mr Mutiu Agboke, the Chairman, Screening Committee, OGSIEC, said this in Abeokuta on Tuesday at a press conference.
Justice Charles Archibong on Monday ruled that OGSIEC must suspend action on the election.
His ruling followed contempt proceedings initiated against principal officers of the electoral body and some leaders of the PDP.
Archibong had fixed hearing on the contempt proceedings for July 4.
The electoral body had recognised two lists of candidates from the Bayo Dayo and Ireti Oliyide factions of PDP during its screening exercise.
The Bayo Dayo-led faction, which had earlier been recognised by an Ogun State High Court in Ilaro, however, initiated the contempt proceedings for alleged violation of the Ilaro ruling.
But Agboke said at the news conference that an order of a Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday had superseded that of the Federal High Court.
“The Court of Appeal following an appeal by the National Headquarters of PDP had directed that all the parties should revert to status -quo.
“It had ordered a Stay of Execution on the ruling of the lower court.
“We interpreted status-quo to mean the pre- court situation,” he said.
Besides, Agboke said that OGSIEC as a body would also appeal the ruling of the High Court.
“As we speak, our lawyers have been making arrangements for the appeal,” Agboke said.
He also said that OGSIEC had contacted the National Headquarters of PDP following the challenge, adding that the national body said it was aware of the division and it was taking steps to resolve the crisis.
Agboke said that the PDP headquarters had also directed the electoral body to recognise the Ireti Oliyide – led faction for the purpose of the local government elections.
“Henceforth, we shall recognise the Ireti Oliyide faction in line with the directive from the national body,” he said.
Reacting to a fresh list of candidates submitted to OGSIEC by Mr Abimbola Awofeso, State Secretary of ACN, Agboke said events had overtaken the development.
Agboke noted that Awofeso jointly signed the first list with Mr Tajudeen Bello, the state Chairman of the party.
He said that Awofeso’s list came on June 22, after the electoral body had forwarded the list of the cleared candidates to their various political parties.
Awofeso had written to OGSIEC dissociating his faction from the first list and had presented a fresh list for screening.
“We cannot act on the list forwarded by Awofeso.
“ We had already forwarded the list of cleared candidates to their respective parties,” he said