The national electoral committee officially met with the national executive nearly two years since last sworn in office.

The national electoral committee met for the first time On Sunday 27th, August 2023 nearly two years after the executive sworn into office on September 2021. 

The purpose of the meeting was in accordance with the official reappointment of the committee in preparation for the next forthcoming national election for the national executive officers.

The committee was commended for their performances in the last national executive election; which made many considered them for another tenure again in office.

The meeting between the electoral committee and the national executive officers was the first of it kind since the last general election after the sworn in ceremony of the national executive officers after the 2021 election.

The electoral committee which were seven in numbers during the last national election, but in the early remarks of the chairman of the committee, he made it known that one of the members, Mr Musiliu Babatunde from Padova will be unable to continue with the team for certain reasons best known to him.

The national executive officers presented at the meeting were the national PRO, and the national President, prince Oladele, while the national vice president later showed up some few minutes to the end of the meeting in order to apologise for not able to attend the meeting as a result of his health challenge and he apologies before he later logout immediately.

But according to the national president in his opening speech reaffirmed the important of the meeting for the day and also made it known that the meeting by the electoral committee was an assignment given by the general assembly members, so he asked for more improvement and hoped for more credible election ahead.

While reacting to the absence of the other executive members, he said he knew nothing about their absences at the meeting. However, the only official executive officer that took permission was, Mr Alex Adelaja, the financial secretary. While the national PRO, Mr Yomi Banjo attested to it that the national financial secretary wrote on the executive platform and that was why the president himself was awared. We can not alt the meeting for any reason, despite we’re just two, we can still proceed while the rest will be informed. Said the national president!

Some of the main agenda of the meeting was the official agreement of the committee members to carry on with their job. While the committee also highlighted some re-shuffled in their cabinets and hierarchy. While the committee also confirmed that non of its members will be contesting for any position at the national executive offices in the forthcoming election.

The committee reacted to a report of one of the official letter sent to the national executive, but which was not acknowledgement or got any response from the office of the national secretary, Mr Olabode Adewale. While they further insisted that the national executive give the right official channel to address any potential letter in order to follow due protocols next time?

Another agenda tabled before the national executives was to clarify the official constitution to use for the forthcoming election, as the committee chairperson, Mr Olumuyiwa Opafola seek an official letter of approval from the national president to the constitution review committee in order to enable the electoral committee access the constitution since it’s not declared publicly yet! While an urgent verbal approval was also demanded from the national executive president as well in order to enable the committee points out articles and sections that concerns the electoral committee and the conducting of the forthcoming election.

According to a section of the new constitution, article 15, which stated that to conduct the 23/24 general election stated as follows:

 *General and run of election.

a. National executive members shall be elected by all or 2/3 of national delegates members of the association, ex article 13 sec,1, which was a new review addictions to the constitution.

b. Run off election: National executive members ex article 13, sec 1b, national executive members shall be elected by simple majority members present on the election date.

C. Period of election: Election shall be held three months before the expiration of the tenure of office of the outgoing national executive.

Considering the section C of the newly reviewed constitution the committee observed the executive that we have been hooked or rather violated this section because by now the national executive should have been preparing to leave office by next month, while the committee should have started it work for over few months ago. So the committee demanded answer on how to resolve the issue?

Responding to the tedious questions by the national president, he said according to his previous promised before, that they (outgoing executive) will not stay more than a day in office before the election, so he suggested that the national executive will be dissolved in the next general assembly meeting to be called for. The assembly can inaugurate two caretaker committee who can be working and meeting with the electoral committee in conducting the election.

Another article and section of the constitution also stated that the election shall be held during the general assembly, (physical or online) as it may be be prepared by the election committee and rectify by the general assembly.

Regarding the above section of the constitution, the committee then asked to know the preparations of the national executive body towards the physical election as the online election is an alternative since majority suggested a physical meeting.

The third agenda was also on the constitution reference ex article 24b, which states that the electoral committee shall conduct the screening of all candidates. The committee noted that the out going national executive (candidates) joke with this article. The committee plan to conduct a thorough screening on this particular section as the electoral body will be requiring to know the manifestos of all candidates which is a must, as a screening criteria to qualify candidates.

Lastly, the committee noted that it will not tolerate one of the observation that was noted during the previous administrations, as the committee will be expecting every incoming or outgoing executive officers to tender any official documents of the association before the inauguration day or latest on the day of inauguration as such candidates may be penalised.

Should incase any officer try to violate the electoral committee bylaws on this issue of submissions of documents or any other aspects involving the act of “I don’t care”, then such candidates may not be entitled to their certificate of return and may also have their names published on the national body social media’s and website. While the committee also suggested a blacklist database of the national/electoral body in order to deny such officers any future offices or social benefits from the national body even after they leave Italy, such database may be use for references to their new host community. A member of the committee suggested!

written by: Obaseesin Seun Ezekiel (Electoral PRO)