Yinka Kolawole
6 July 2009
Osogbo — The last seems yet to be heard on the controversy trailing the ratification of the names, screening and swearing-in of members of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) as the 11 members of the Osun State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the Action Congress (AC) have dragged the Osun State House of Assembly to the State High Court over the legality or otherwise of the process adopted for passage of the names by the PDP-dominated Assembly.
The process had torn the Assembly apart, culminating in the walking out of the AC members before the names were ratified.
In the suit with number HOS/M41/2009 , dated 22nd June 2009 , filed on behalf of his colleagues by the Minority Leader, Timothy Owoeye, the AC lawmakers are challenging as unconstitutional, null and void, the hasty clearance of the list of members of OSSIEC in absolute disregard of the constitutional rules.
The rules require the verification of age, educational qualification and other details relating to citizenship of individual members which can only be obtained from certified photocopies of documents attached to personal curriculum vitae which five of the seven members of the commission did not tender before the Assembly before they were hastily screened.
In the suit, the claimants are praying the court to determine, amongst others, whether the defendant is not bound by the combined provisions of sections 106 and 200(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 in the screening and confirmation of the appointment of Chairman and members of OSSIEC.
It is also to be determined whether the defendant was right by confirming the appointment of OSSIEC members without the credentials of five of the nominees placed before the Assembly to ascertain their academic qualifications as demanded by section 106(c) of the 1999 Constitution which prescribes minimum academic requirement for qualification for membership of the House of Assembly of a state as applicable to membership of OSSIEC.
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