- Safiu Kehinde
An Ogun state High Court sitting in Abeokuta has dismissed lawsuit seeking the postponement of the state’s local government election scheduled for the 16th November 2024.
The court struck out prayers made by 16 political parties in the state, seeking to postpone the proposed local government elections indefinitely.
Delivering judgment, 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 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 further debunked claim of the parties that the LG election clashed with Ondo State gubernatorial elections which is slated for 16th November.
Okunsokan maintained that the clash 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.