The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has refuted news circulating on the social that it has postponed the July 24 Local Government elections, with a call on participating political parties to intensify efforts on their campaigns.
OGSIEC Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Osibodu, while speaking to news men at the Commission’s headquarters in Abeokuta, said the rumored cancellation of the 2021 Local Government election did not emanate from the Commission, as such, should be disregarded, assuring that the Local Council Polls will still hold on Saturday, July 24 2021.
“We have been inundated about a fake revised election timetable circulating in some section of the media and the internet that OGSIEC has postponed the coming Local Government election, billed to hold on Saturday, July 24 to Saturday, 31st July, 2021. I wish to inform our people that there is no iota of truth in the information and that it didn’t emanate from us. I therefore call on political parties to go ahead with their campaigns”, Osibodu stated.
Osibodu said the Commission was not pressured to cancel the non-refundable fee deposit, rather, the decision was purely from the aspect of law and good conscience, stating that from inauguration, the Commission had specified that it will operate within the ambit of the law.
The OGSIEC boss revealed that the Commission will be scaling up its education, enlightenment and publicity, with a view to keeping the people abreast of the election, noting that Electoral Officers were already assigned to each of the 20 Local Government Areas, who, will together with other ad-hoc staff, carry out various voter-education programmes to the nooks and crannies of the State.
Speaking on measures put in place in compliance with Covid-19 advisories, Osibodu said the Commission will provide hand Sanitizers and other items needed, as law enforcement agencies will ensure social distancing, urging electorate to come with their facemask when coming to cast their votes.
He clarified that elections will not hold in the Local Council Development Area (LCDAs), as the exercise will be done only in the 20 Local Government Areas, calling on candidates and political parties to campaign vigorously and get themselves acquainted with the voters to boost their chances at the poll.
The Chairman reiterated that OGSIEC does not and would not meddle with internal Party affairs, urging all political parties to resolve their differences as the Commission would align only with the dictates of the law.
He further assured that duly registered voters, who have misplaced their voters’ card, would be allowed to exercise their civic responsibility, provided they present other government-issued valid identity cards such as Drivers’ License, International Passport, National Identity Cards, among others, which also must correspond with the photographs and names as appeared on the INEC’s voter register.
