APC sues Adeleke for appointing PDP member as OSIEC chairman

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has sued Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, before a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo for allegedly appointing a card-carrying member of his political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as Chairman of Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC).

Assistant Secretary of Osun APC, Waheed Adeniran, in an affidavit in support of the originating summons filed by the party’s lawyer, Ayodele Kusamotu, urged the court to set aside appointment of Hasim Abioye as OSIEC Chairman.

The suit, marked FHC/OS/CS/2/2024, also has the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice as defendant.

Also joined as defendants were the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attorney-General of Osun State and Commissioner for Justice, Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Hasim Akintunde Abioye and OSIEC.

APC contended that “the nomination and appointment of a partisan person as chairman of the state’s electoral body offends law and will not guarantee credible council elections in which other political parties are expected to participate.”

The opposition party further claimed that “the new chairman, having been a card-carrying member of the PDP in the state will not be neutral and impartial in the election processes.”

The party sought, among others, “a declaration that the third defendant cannot validly and legally nominate and forward the name of the seventh defendant as a bonafide member of his registered political party, the PDP to the fifth and sixth defendants for screening and confirmation to be appointed as the chairman of the eighth defendant, OSI EC.”

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining seventh and eighth defendants or any of their members or agents or officers or any other person or persons acting on their behalf from conducting local council elections until the seventh defendant is removed from office as the chairman of the eighth defendant.”