Ogun State: Court refuses to grant postponement of local government election
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital, has 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, Hon. Justice T. A. Okunsokan, rejected the claims of the political parties that the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) had acted unilaterally and dictatorially by fixing the date of the local government elections without first consulting the political parties.
Justice Okunsokan unequivocally held that there was 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 found that the claim of the parties that Ondo State gubernatorial elections would hold on the same day as Ogun local government elections 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 16th November 2024.
