Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has inaugurated new members of the State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), charging them to do justice to the people by handling the task committed to their care with utmost transparency and fear of God.
He noted that doing so is in tandem with the oath of office the members of the state electoral umpire swore to uphold, urging them to ensure that they discharge their mandate independently in a bid to further strengthen democracy in the state.
The governor gave the charge at the swearing-in ceremony of the new OYSIEC members, held at the Executive Council Chamber, Office of the Governor, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Makinde said: “To you members of OYSIEC, what I will say is that you have a delicate assignment. Though I nominated you, you were cleared by the House of Assembly.
“There are things in the name of the commission that you have to live up to and that is Oyo State and independent. The keyword is independent. So, you have to be independent.”
After the administration of Oath of Office on the members and signing of the oath of office book, the governor disclosed that his administration would conduct another local government election before the expiration of his tenure in 2027.
Makinde revealed that the tenure of the current local government administration will end in May 2027, and expressed confidence that residents of the state would still choose to support him.
He said: “So, the election will probably happen about the same time that we are having the general election, but we’re not afraid. Even the general election, we know that what people have been saying to us is, ‘We don’t want Oyo State to go back to the old order. We don’t want this music to stop.’ If that, indeed, is what they are saying, I know they will come out to vote for us and defend their votes.”
The governor encouraged the newly inaugurated OYSIEC members to allow the will of the people to prevail by conducting open and transparent elections at the local government level, saying by doing they would have helped Oyo State to have a solid democratic foundation at the local level.
Makinde affirmed that the chairman and members of the Commission were nominated because they are people of proven integrity, who will use their wealth of experience for the development of the state.
He equally thanked the Oyo State House of Assembly for their support and diligence in approving the nominees, stressing that the act demonstrated the synergy between the Executive and the Legislative arms of government, a development, which he noted, has resulted in unprecedented harmony, growth and development for Oyo State.
The members inaugurated include: Dr Babatunde Adeniyi (Chairman), while Chief Kunmi Agboola, Mr Olanrewaju Emmanuel, Mr Sunday Falana, Hon. Remi Ayoade, Mr Olatunde Theophilus, Mrs Adebayo Muriana and Mr Babatunde Ige are members of the Commission.
The event had in attendance commissioners, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and labour union leaders, among others.