The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned Governor Seyi Makinde against plan to reconstitute the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).
In a statement signed by the APC Publicity Secretary in Oyo State, Dr Olatunde Azeez said it got a report the the Governor had forwarded names of his proposed nominees to the State House of Assembly for screening inspite of the pending suit and injunction filed by the dissolved members of the Commission challenging their dissolution as illegal. Reproduced below is the APC statement:
“We are aware all court processes in the suit were formally served on the Governor, Oyo state House of Assembly, the Attorney General, the Head of service and OYSIEC yet the Governor chooses his familiar path of lawlessness.
“This is not the first time the government of Governor Seyi Makinde will disobey court judgement, orders and processes. We recall that in spite of a judgment of the Supreme court and the direct orders of the Oyo state high court restraining the Oyo state government from dissolving local government councils, nor appointing caretaker chairmen, Governor Makinde disobeyed same blatantly and dissolved the councils.
“Contempt proceedings are now pending against state officials on this. This present step by Gov. Makinde is yet again another challenge to the judiciary and the rule of law by the current administration. It is a shame that the leaders who swore to uphold our constitution are now shredding it and dancing on its tatters.
“This is how recklessness and lawlessness resumes in a society, when the head of govt cannot respect the law, how can an average citizen respect the rule of law. We recall in January 2017 when the administration of Governor Ajimobi was served with a court injunction by a federal high court in Abuja to stop the local government elections from holding, Makinde’s predecessor complied and postponed the elections.
“Rather than follow this noble example, this current Governor has been boasting on air that he will reconstitute OYSIEC and conduct fresh local government elections no matter what, even when an existing judgment forbids it. Such is the direction our state is now sliding to, lawlessness, disobedience, defiance of court and brigandage by those in authority.
“The people will not fold their arms in resignation neither will our great party, the APC. We are however law abiding and will confront this continuing recklessness using all lawful means. We hereby notify the nominees and all the members of the house of assembly, not to lend themselves as tools in the hands of a reckless executive to despise another arm of government, the judiciary.
We therefore urge them not to wallow in another man’s sin by conducting any screening nor should the nominees present themselves for screening before the House, recognizing that every nomination, screening, swearing in or appointment made illegally as threatened and done in defiance of the rule of law shall be voided and set aside by the court under the law.
“We shall on our part continue to stand as a bulwark against disobedience to the rule of law and lawlessness for which the current Governor has become synonymous, rather than the legacy of a safe, law abiding and modern Oyo state which was bequeathed to him.”
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