Inside Osun: APC, PDP trade words over electoral commission’s appointee

VOICE AIR MEDIA News Update

Osun: The State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has faulted the appointment of an aide of the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, as the chairman, Osun State Independent Electoral Commission.

The state Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, earlier on Monday, inaugurated Hashim Abioye, as OSSIEC chairman, alongside other chairmen and members of the statutory commissions in the state.

The inauguration came after the nominees for the statutory Commissions that include OSSIEC, Judicial Service Commission, House of Assembly Service Commission, among others, were screened and confirmed by the State House of Assembly at an emergency session on Monday.

But a statement by the Osun APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, in reaction to the development, said Abioye is a member of PDP and should not have been considered for such a post.

Lawal insisted that with the appointment of Abioye as chairman, there would be no independence in the activities of the commission, adding that the appointment had bastardised the statutory purpose of OSSIEC.

The statement read partly, “As usual, the Adeleke administration has not disappointed the right-thinking members of the society with the weird and crude appointment of his SA as the custodian of the OSSIEC as it would have made news if the apparently confused governor had acted otherwise.

“It is necessary for Adeleke to allow the OSSIEC to act its name as what is now transpiring in the commission is an aberration which is visibly antithetical to genuine constitutional government.

“The sensitivity of the expected functions of the OSSIEC demands that it is headed by a non-partisan entity whose activities would not be subjected to controversial political caprices and undertones.

“The most honourable thing for Adeleke to do with the controversial appointment of Barr Hashim Abioye, as the OSSIEC chairman, is to rescind the mindless decision without further delay and allow good judgment to prevail.”

But Osun PDP, in a statement signed by its chairman, Sunday Bisi, told the opposition that, in appointing chairmen and members of statutory commissions including the state Electoral Commission, merit, capacity and competence were considered.

Bisi added, “The APC and others who joined them in their inglorious voyage ought to be purged of their ignorance that politics is different from State governance and administration. Appointments by Governor Adeleke so far have been merit-based, capacity-driven and incontrovertible competence.

“Many of Adeleke’s cabinet members and other appointees are not politicians and/or were not appointed based on any political consideration but on skill, capacity, and professionalism. Appointments into statutory boards are therefore not an exception in this context

“As a matter of fact, most of the agencies are so critical that only competent professionals and skilled technocrats must be appointed. What then is the fuss if there is anyone presently serving in Adeleke’s cabinet but now considered for another appointment based on his considered area of competence, track record of impeccable integrity and professionalism? It is a shame for APC and its town criers to speak always from both sides of their mouth, approbating and reprobating on matters with very few borderlines.”