When the day breaks on Saturday, April 27, it will be D-Day.
The Oyo state Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, will be called to duty.
A Local Government Election unlike any that have been conducted by past leadership of the Commission will be on the card.
On the day, Aare Isiaka Olaguju SAN, and other Commissioners of OYSIEC shall be on world radar.
Honestly, I do not envy the Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Everything about what he has built in terms of integrity shall be at stake.
The participation of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the main opposition political party in Oyo state have changed the narrative.
On Saturday, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chairman of an Electoral Commission shall have powers vested on him by both the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the OYSIEC Law to take decisions that could hurt Governor Makinde and his PDP if circumstances call for it.
The million dollar question is, will he have the will to do the right thing regardless of whose ox would be gored?
The answers will be glaring to all on Saturday.
Like I said, this election is novel.
It is true that Governor Makinde have made fantasious statements regarding how he and the PDP will clear the polls in the 33 Local Governments.
Even, Governor Makinde knows that such statements are mere wishful thinking.
The feelers in town also does not support Governor Makinde’s fantasies.
His utterances during his campaign in Ido Local Government illuminated the Governor’s thinking which is suggestive of manipulations.
Realistically, the Governor can not manipulate the election except the Electoral umpire is compromised.
The OYSIEC Law does not bestow any advantage or role on the Governor which would have allowed him to tamper or tinker with the results of the election to suit his wishful thinking.
The buck stops at the table of the Chairman of OYSIEC.
He is the Alpha and Omega of the whole process and he will surely be one of the most watched individual between Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th.
He is the one who will have crucial decisions to take from time to time.
He will have descretion to exercise from time to time.
How he exercises such descretions and make such decisions shall be the history of the events of this Local Government Election.
History is not kind at all and neither is it forgetful.
It lasts till forever.
On Saturday, it will either be a situation where history is repeated or rewritten.
Which is it gonna be for the Chairman of OYSIEC?
We all know that the PDP will attempt to leverage on certain advantage to alter the will of the people.
What would matter most is whether the OYSIEC will be an accomplice.
We will not only watch the OYSIEC, we will also monitor the activities of other relevant stakeholders like the security personnel.
The All Progressives Congress, APC shall not sit by and allow Its candidates to be shortchanged.
Whether this election is successful or otherwise, God forbid, the Chairman of OYSIEC, not Governor Makinde or any thug shall be considered responsible.
Rather, the Chairman of OYSIEC who have been vested with enormous power and responsibilities by Law shall be the one to take responsibilities.
The OYSIEC Law have clearly given the Chairman of the Commission great powers to deal with envisaged rascality by any of the participating political parties, the PDP inclusive.
How such powers are deployed will be the defining factor of this election.
I hope and pray that the Chairman of OYSIEC shall not be found wanting when decisive and crucial decisions are to be made, most especially, ones that affects the PDP and Governor Makinde.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
