WELCOME ADDRESS OF THE CHAIRMAN, OYO STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION, BARRISTER OLALEYE OLASUNKANMI AT THE PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF RETURN AT ELECTION TO THE ELECTED
CHAIRMEN AND VICE-CHAIRMEN OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
ON THURSDAY 3RD APRIL, 2008

Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State Otunba (Dr.) Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, Your Excellency, the Deputy-Governor of Oyo State, The Chief of Staff, The Deputy Chief of Staff, The OYSIEC Commissioners,

Barr. Olaleye Olasunkanmi, Chairman, OYSIEC

Honourable Commissioner for Local Government, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Special Advisers Present. Chairmen and Secretaries of Political Parties, Ladies and Gentlemen.

DECEMBER 15th 2007, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION IN OYO STATE: TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES
I welcome you all to this very important occasion. You will recall that the Local Government Election was held in Oyo State on the 15th December 2007. It is on record that fifteen Political Parties participated in the Election, the highest number of Political Parties to participate in Local Government Election in the history of Oyo State and anywhere in Nigeria. It is equally on record and undisputable that the December 15th Local Government Election in Oyo State was the most peaceful, orderly and credible in the history of Local Government Election in this State in recent years.

Nine hundred and twenty (920) Candidates contested for three hundred and fifty one (351) Councillorship seats, while eighty-three (83) Candidates contested for the thirty-three (33) Chairmanship seats. At the end of the Election, Action Alliance (AA) won two (2) Councillorship seats, Action Congress (AC) won five (5) Councillorship seats while Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won three hundred and thirty eight (338) seats. PDP also won the thirty-three (33) Chairmanship seats. This Commission cancelled Councillorship Election in four (4) Wards of Saki-East Local Government and two (2) Wards of Atisbo Local Government. The bye-election into these Wards shall be announced in the next few weeks.

It is important to state here that, immediately after the Election, the Local Government Election Petition Tribunal was constituted and as at today, there are six (6) petitions in respect of Chairmanship Election into Afijio, Ibarapa Central, Saki East, Atisbo and Ibadan North-West and thirty four (34) petitions in respect of Councillorship Election across the State.

The ceremony of today is for the presentation of Certificates of Return at Election to Elected Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and Councillors in accordance with requirement of Schedule 2, Section 43 of the State Electoral Law, 2001. May I therefore, once again congratulate the elected Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and the Councillors. Congratulations!

However, beyond the euphoria of victory lies the huge task of fulfilling the terms of social contract you entered into with the electorates and the divine contract you entered into with the Almighty God who has made you the leaders of your various Local Government Councils and Wards. You are therefore expected to serve your people with the fear of God. My prayers for you is that God of Heaven and Earth will give you the wisdom and the courage to serve and succeed on this assignment. Once again, Congratulations and Welcome.

Barr. Olaleye Olasunkannmi,
Chairman, OYSIEC,
April, 2008

MEETING OF OYSIEC AND OYO STATE INTER POLITICAL PARTIES CONSULTATIVE/ADVISORY COMMITTEE HELD ON THE 28th SEPTEMBER, 2007

Freedom to Elect, Fairness to All, Electoral process in Accordance with the Rule of Law and Sustenance of Democratic Principles

I welcome you all to this very important meeting. Without mincing words, the essence of this consultative/advisory Committee is
   (a)   to create awareness of the existence of OYSIEC
   (b)  to impress the need for cordial relationship and understanding among political           parties
   (c)  to create a channel of communication among the OYSIEC, Political Parties and           Security Agencies towards a successful Local Government election.
   (d) And to afford OYSIEC, the opportunity of Constantly updating the knowledge of          political parties on election and electoral processes.

CREATION OF OYSIEC

Section 197 of 1999 Constitution, created 3 statutory bodies for the States. One of these bodies SIEC. Further more, in the third schedule, part 11 (B) of the Constitution die functions of SIEC are stated to be;

     (a)   Organize, undertake and supervise all election to Local Government Councils              within  the State
     (b)  to render such advise as it may consider necessary to the Independent National             Electoral Commission on the compilation of and the register of voters in so far as             that  register is applicable to Local Government elections in the state. Section 5             of the SIEC law of Oyo State also supported the above functions of OYSIEC.

2007 Local Government Election

The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria' s have decided that Local Government Election shall be held not later than December, 2007. In Oyo State, by the grace of Almighty God Local Government Election shall be held on the 15th of December 2007. The time table for the election as related to the activities and functions of OYSIEC shall be announced not later than one month before this date. May I therefore use this forum to advise all political parties to start the process of electing candidates through party primaries or whatever method acceptable to the parties and to start the process of electioneering campaign to present their manifestoes and candidates to the citizens of this State for the purposes of Local Government Election.

OUR COMMITMENT

This newly inaugurated Commission is committed to a free, fair and transparent election. An election where voters will assess the manifestos of the political parties and know the candidates, an election where security of lives and properties will be protected, an election where voting materials will get to the polling units at the right time, and an electoral process where the rule of law will be the winner.


We shall oppose all forms of violence and electoral malpractices. In this Local Government election, only the will of the people shall prevail. This is our commitment and this is why we have called you here today.

Welcome !!!

Barr. Olaleye Olasunkannmi,
Chairman, OYSIEC,
Sept., 2007