Politics

Current OSIEC Chairman and Former PDP Member Hashim Abioye Criticizes INEC Oversight for Local Elections

Published by Tope Fakinlede on August 18th, 2024.

Current OSIEC Chairman and Former PDP Member Hashim Abioye Criticizes INEC Oversight for Local Elections

Current Electoral chairman poster as a member of PDP

Hashim Abioye, the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), has expressed strong opposition to proposals for transferring local government election oversight from state electoral commissions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He argues that such a shift would lead to negative consequences for Nigerian democracy.

Speaking in Osogbo during a session organized by the League of Veteran Journalists, Abioye asserted that INEC’s involvement in local government elections would overextend the federal body, potentially undermining state-level electoral management and creating significant challenges.

However, it is noteworthy that in 2023, Hashim Abioye was a candidate for the Osun State House of Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This association has led to concerns about the perceived impartiality of the OSSIEC, with critics suggesting that the commission may be biased due to Abioye’s previous affiliation with the PDP.

These developments have sparked a debate on the independence and effectiveness of state electoral commissions versus federal oversight in local elections.