The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has affirmed that the selection of chairmen and members for statutory commissions in the state was based on merit and competence. This response from the Osun PDP came on Tuesday following calls by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) urging Governor Ademola Adeleke to reverse the appointment of Hashim Abioye as the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC).
In a statement signed by its chairman, Sunday Bisi, the Osun PDP countered the APC’s claims, emphasizing that Governor Adeleke’s appointments have consistently been rooted in merit, capacity, and undeniable competence. The statement clarified that many of the governor’s cabinet members and appointees were not chosen based on political affiliations but on their skills, capacity, and professionalism. This merit-based approach extends to appointments in statutory boards, as these agencies require competent professionals and skilled technocrats.
Before his recent appointment as OSSIEC Chairman, Abioye had been associated with the PDP as a chieftain and served as the Special Adviser on Legal Matters to Governor Adeleke. The Osun APC, led by Chairman Tajudeen Lawal, had criticized Abioye’s appointment, asserting that there was nothing independent about the commission’s activities except its name. Additionally, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state rejected Abioye’s appointment, stating that it amounted to a desecration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.