The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission has fixed January 16, 2027, for the conduct of local government elections in the state, assuring residents of a transparent, credible and peaceful electoral process.
According to a statement issued on Thursday and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the commission’s Chairman, Babatunde Adeniyi, said the decision was taken during an inaugural meeting with OYSIEC’s leadership and management team at the commission’s headquarters in Agodi, Ibadan.
Adeniyi said the meeting deliberated on the commission’s mandate to deliver a peaceful and acceptable local government council election.
He stated that the council polls would be conducted between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in all polling units across the 33 local government councils of Oyo State.
Additionally, the OYSIEC chairman said electioneering activities would end at midnight on Friday, January 15, 2027, while any run-off or re-run election would hold on Saturday, January 23, 2027.
The statement read, “By virtue of the Local Government Law of Oyo State of Nigeria (as amended), the tenure of the chairmen and councillors in the 33 local government councils in Oyo State will expire on May 23, 2027.
“The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission is empowered by Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), to issue notice for the election not later than 360 days before the date of the election.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), Section 5(a), and Paragraph (1) of Schedule II of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission Law, Cap 154, Laws of Oyo State, Nigeria, 2000, notice is hereby given that the local government council elections shall be conducted in all the polling units in the 33 local government councils in Oyo State on Saturday, January 16, 2027, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.”
The statement further enjoined relevant stakeholders to support the commission’s efforts to organise and conduct free, fair, credible and transparent local government council elections on January 16, 2027.