By Julius Alabi, Akure
Paucity of funds may hinder the forthcoming Local government election in Ondo State slated for December 1, 2018.
Investigations by TheNiche have revealed that no money has been released for the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) for the council poll.
When TheNiche visited ODIEC office along Oba-Ile road, no activity whatsoever is going on there despite the fact that the council poll is less than three months.
It was further gathered that the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is yet to give financial support to the commission.
The fear of the governor for not releasing any fund for the commission may not be unconnected with a court case at the Ondo State High Court in Akure filed by some aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) restraining Commission from accepting the list of candidates of the party (APC) submitted by Engineer Ade Adetimehin, the partys Chairman.
Although, the commission had held series of meetings with the political parties in the state to get them ready for the election.
But preparations on the side of ODIEC are in low ebb as there was no sign of seriousness on the part of the commission.
The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Yomi Dinakin had on August 15 this year issued out the guidelines for the conduct of elections into the 18 Local Government Areas in the state during a stakeholders Interactive meeting in Akure, Ondo State capital
According to him, the local government election would hold in the state on December 1, 2018 saying “in accordance with section 30 of Electoral Act, 2010 as amended and schedule a paragraph (1) of the local government, establishment and administration law (Cap 87) laws of Ondo state (2006). Notice is hereby given that election to the following offices in the local governments shall hold on December 1, 2018.”
The Chairman however assured that election would be conducted in all the councils despite litigation in court by the sacked councils’ bosses elected under the former administration of ex-Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
