Court rejects bid to stall Ogun LG election

The Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Tuesday, struck out prayers made by 16 political parties in the state, seeking to postpone the proposed local government elections indefinitely.

Delivering judgment in AB/577/2024 Action Alliance & 15 Ors v. OGSIEC & Anor, the presiding judge, Justice T. A. Okunsokan, rejected the claims of the political parties that the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission had acted unilaterally and dictatorially by fixing the date of the local government election without first consulting the political parties.

Justice Okunsokan unequivocally held “That there is no provision in the constitution or the relevant electoral laws that required OGSIEC to consult political parties before fixing the dates of elections.”

The court also said, “The claim of the parties that the Ondo State gubernatorial election would be held on the same day as the Ogun local government election is not a legitimate reason for asking the court to compel OGSIEC to postpone elections in the state.”

The court thereby maintained the status quo ante on the earlier announced date for the Ogun State local government elections slated for November 16, 2024.

Efforts to get the reaction of OGSIEC Chairman, Babatunde Osibodu, were unsuccessful as he was said not to be around.

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