OSIEC withdraws Certificates of Return from Osun local council chairmen, councilors

The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has withdrawn the Certificates of Return from the local government chairmen and councillors elected in the October 15 election in the state.

The withdrawal of the elected council officials’ certificate of return came a few hours after Governor Ademola Adeleke ordered the immediate suspension of the OSIEC Chairman, Segun Oladitan, along with other members of the commission.

The commission’s Secretary, Adedapo Adejumo, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Osogbo.

Adejumo said OSIEC would not appeal against the Friday judgment of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, which nullified the local council election.

READ ALSO: PDP begs INEC not to release voters’ register for Osun local council election

He said: “Consequent upon the judgment of the Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo in the case FHC\OS\CS\94\2022, involving the Peoples Democratic Party VS the Independent National Electoral Commission and six others, delivered on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, which nullified the Local Government Elections conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) on October 15, 2022, the commission hereby announces its decision not to appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court.

“The decision of the Commission is coming against the backdrop of OSIEC’s failure to follow strictly the provisions of Section 24 of OSIEC Law, 2022 and Section 28 of the Electoral Act, 2022, which mandated the Commission to give notice of 360 days before the conduct of the election.

“In view of this, the OSIEC aligns perfectly with the decision of the Federal High Court, as the elections stand nullified.

“Consequently, the Certificate of Returns already issued to the purportedly elected Chairmen and Councillors are hereby withdrawn with immediate effect.”

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