BY DAYO JOHNSON
AKURE—GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State Thursday charged the eight members of the reconstituted Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC, to ensure credible council elections.

Inaugurating members of the commission headed by the immediate past ASUU Chairman of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Dr Olugbenga Ige, Dr Mimiko said that the commission was expected to conduct elections into the Chairmanship and Councillorship positions in the 18 local government council areas of the state after all legal issues would had been resolved”

He said “before the inception of this administration in February 2009, a long legal battle was fought to reclaim our stolen mandate.”

Therefore, for an administration that came into power through the instrumentality of the law, we find it absolutely necessary not only to ensure regard for, but also, sustain the rule of law. We believe that your tenure will pay us like that of the former ASUU Chairman. We went to pick somebody from the academia, somebody who has the background of activism and who we all don’t expect to compromise or do anything other than to ensure fairness.

Your manifest non-partisanship in any of the existing political parties or interest groups, will engender people’s trust and confidence in the affairs of the Commission and particularly, in the conduct of free and fair local government elections.”

“Unlike in 2007 when we witnessed all manners of electoral malady, the 2011 election was a major improvement over the past. A typical evidence of this improvement was that after the 2007 elections, about 68 election petitions were filed in the court, but in 2011, only 8 petitions were filed which was a testimony to the credibility of the election. On the part of the Labour Party government, it bears repeating here that we will not seek for any undue advantage over and above any party or individual, but that we shall only give the necessary moral and financial support in accordance with the Constitution.”

Responding the chairman Dr Ige pledged that with the sincerity and support of the political class, the Commission would entrench a culture of credible elections in Ondo State.

Other members of the Commission include Chief Bisi Ogundipe, Mrs. Joke Adebusoye, Mrs. Lola Adewumi and Comrade Bayo Williams, Mr. Amos Fadope, Mr. Ayo Ajayi and Adeoye Omolekulo.