… As Opposition Parties Confirm Document
Daud Olatunji
In an unexpected turn of events, Kayode Akinmade, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, has dismissed as fake a document reportedly emanated from the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) announcing the date for the forthcoming local government elections.
This reaction comes amidst confirmation from opposition parties that they have received the same information.
The controversy began when PLATFORM TIMES reported a statement, allegedly signed by the Chairman of the electoral commission, Babatunde Osibodu, which set October 26 as the election date.
PLATFORM TIMES reliably gathered that the chairman of the electoral body was not in the country as of the time of filing this report .
Several attempts to reach him failed as his phone number was not connecting as at Sunday .
Following the report, several opposition political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Action Alliance (AA), and African Action Congress (AAC), confirmed receipt of messages from OGSIEC regarding the proposed election.
Minutes after PLATFORM TIMES broke the news, Akinmade, in an interview, disowned the document.
Further investigations revealed that his actions were a damage control measure in anticipation of backlash over the short notice given for party primaries—less than three weeks.
Sources indicate that the current local government chairmen’s tenure is not yet complete, as their term, which began on July 26, 2021, is due to end on July 26, 2024.
In an exclusive interview with PLATFORM TIMES, Ogun State PDP Chairman, Sikirulai Ogundele, affirmed that his party had been informed about the proposed election and expressed readiness for the polls.
He downplayed concerns over the short notice for primaries, stating, “We have been informed according to the constitution…the notice of 90 days has been taken, for them to be writing to us this month of July. We are very ready for the election.”
However, Hon. Dapo Adeyemi, State Party Leader of Action Alliance, criticised the short notice and suggested that the Governor might be attempting to ambush other political parties to install his loyalists before the newly approved local government financial autonomy takes effect.
“The Governor is not fair to all the other political parties…I will encourage all the other political parties under IPAC to proceed to court,” Adeyemi said.
Similarly, Comrade Ogini Olaposi, National Secretary of the NNPP and former State Chairman, welcomed the development, describing it as a necessary step to prepare for the end of the current local government chairmen’s tenure.
He acknowledged the short notice but viewed it as manageable under existing laws and rules.
Adesina Afolabi, State Chairman of AAC, was less optimistic, criticising the timetable as a “Jamboree” and asserting that OGSIEC lacks the constitutional right to conduct local government elections following a recent Supreme Court judgement.
Despite Akinmade’s attempts to discredit the document, sources within the government confirmed its authenticity, suggesting it was prematurely leaked.
This incident follows a Supreme Court ruling that bars governors from appointing caretaker committees to run local governments, mandating democratically elected governments instead.
This judgement insists that local governments without elected officials cannot access monthly federal allocations.
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