The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Osun State Chapter has kicked against nomination of Barrister Hassim Abioye by Governor Ademola Adeleke as the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC).
The Council disclosed this on Friday during the media parley in Osogbo, the State capital.
According to the Chairman of Allied Peoples Movement who doubles as the IPAC Chairman, Wale Adebayo, the appointment raised doubts about the fairness of the Commission in the upcoming elections.
He said,” We have come to know that Barrister Hassim Abioye was once the Caretaker Secretary of the ruling party, this fact alone cast a shadow of doubt on his ability to act independently and ensure the impartiality that is essential for a transparent electoral process “.
He reiterated that the head of OSIEC should ideally be a neutral figure, devoid of any political connections that could compromise the integrity of the entire electoral process.
Adebayo also recalled that Abioye was a member of the legal team that actively fought against OSIEC during the last administration.
The Chairman also stated that “Abioye currently holds the position of Special Adviser on Legal Matters, the closeness to the executive branch and the potential to severely undermine the trust and legitimacy of the electoral commission “.
“We call upon the State Government to reconsider this appointment, we implore them to rescind this decision and recognise the importance of appointing an individual who possesses the necessary qualities and qualifications to lead OSIEC with utmost integrity and impartiality ” he said.
The Council also appealed to The State Assembly not to confirm such appointment.
Reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Oladele Bamiji described Abioye as a qualified person for the job.
He said, “Abioye is an indigene of Osun and he’s eminently qualified to man our electoral system. He’s a man of impeccable integrity. “
When asked about the obvious partisanship of Abioye, Bamiji said, “everyone has his bias and I know Barrister Abioye won’t bring that to the system. He will abide by the law guiding the commission.”
