According to OSIEC Chairman Hashim Abioye, the commission is proceeding with its scheduled timetable for the elections in February 2025, as there are no legal hindrances or pressure to do otherwise.
The Nation reported that Abioye emphasized that the notice of election is a critical aspect of the electoral process, and any defects could invalidate the election. He assured that the notice given by OSIEC was in line with the law, having been issued at least 360 days before the election date, as required by the Electoral Act and OSSIEC Law.
The governor’s caretaker committees will see their tenure lapse in August 2024, and Abioye expressed doubts about a potential tenure extension. OSIEC is moving forward with its preparations for the local government elections, unaffected by the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Ajiboye’s comment reads in part:
The Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to the local government on Thursday, July 11. The court condemned the governors’ actions in installing caretaker committees and insisted that elected officials must run local government affairs.
According to the judgment, the federal government is also empowered to withhold the allocation of funds to local governments whose leadership is not elected.
TimesNow.com.ng earlier reported that the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, made a cryptic comment on the Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
El-Rufai quoted a tweet from the presidency that summarised the apex court’s judgment with a terse comment saying God gives and takes.
The former governor’s comment comes amid his ongoing political battle with Uba Sani, his successor in Kaduna state.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
