Gov Abiodun, Ogun State
The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), has disclosed that non-indigenes residing in the State are free to contest for the forthcoming Local Government elections, provided they meet stipulated conditions.
Chairman of OGSIEC, Mr. Babatunde Osibodu, stated this, while featuring on a radio programme in Abeokuta.
Osibodu said the Commission would not deny any candidate the opportunity of contesting, either as Chairman or Councilor on the account of non-indigeneship, urging whoever desire to run for political office at the grassroots, to do so, as there is no law forbidding them.
“A non-indigene can contest either as Chairman or Councilor, as long as he is a citizen of Nigeria and an ordinary residence in the ward or constituency in which he is seeking election, as well as meeting other criteria, he or she is eminently qualifies’’, Osibodu clarified.
He listed the conditions to be met as “being responsible citizen of Nigeria, must be 25 years and above for Councillorship, and 30 years and above for Chairmanship positions, must produce evidence of tax exemption or Certificate for three consecutive years before election, he must not have been unjustifiably dismissed from the Civil or Public service of either the Federal or State government, among others”.
Osibodu declared that in the case of a short fall of the requirements, members of the public should bring it to the notice of OGSIEC, explaining that, “we expect members of the public to write us if they know anyone who is not eligible and we will take necessary action, but we cannot go out there and begin to look for those who are not qualified, so we expect political parties to properly screen their candidates and be thorough in their primaries”.
Assuring that every party would be treated equally, he implored citizens and members of political parties, to report aspirants who are involved in nefarious activities, as the Commission could only disqualify a candidate, if he has been convicted, saying, “suspicion is not enough, there must be evidence before disqualifying a candidate”.
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