- PDP To INEC: “Babalola Is An Indigene, She Is Not Fit To Be Ondo’s REC”
- INEC Replies: “She Will Not Be Redeployed”
By Abiola Olawale
As the November 16 governorship election of Ondo State is fast approaching, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), are still at loggerheads over the conduct of the election.
The Ondo State chapter of the PDP, in a letter addressed to the INEC, raised an alarm over the indigeneship of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
The party in the letter said it is not morally right for Babalola to be the REC given her purported ties with Ondo State.
Making reference to its background checks, the PDP said the INEC allegedly failed to do a diligent check on Babalola to know that the Ondo REC grew up in the state with her parents residing in Akure, the state capital.
The PDP also stressed that Babalola particularly qualified as an Ondo indigene, having lived in the state for over 10 years.
The letter read in part: “ For the umpteenth time, we are calling on you, to as a matter of urgency, replace the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Toyin Babalola, appointed and posted to Ondo State by the INEC under your authority, with a non-partisan official with no previous association with Ondo State.
“We also counsel that you view this request with the seriousness and urgency it deserves for the preservation of our nation’s very fragile democracy and the restoration of Public confidence in your Commission’s integrity.
“It has become expedient, that you act positively on the content of this letter, following a statement credited to your commission on Tuesday, 15 October, 2024, in direct reaction to the call by the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, the Ondo REC should be replaced. Governor Seyi Makinde’s warning that the PDP will continue to protest until its request is met, should not be taken as an empty threat.
“Moreso, since it is on record that the governor’s call of Tuesday was not the first time the party had made such a request. Our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, had earlier mentioned to you in a previous letter to your office that the Ondo State Commissioner, Mrs Toyin Babalola, is not morally and reasonably fit to supervise the gubernatorial election fixed for November 16.
“Quite unfortunately, however, a statement credited to you on Tuesday said the REC would not be removed because she is not from the state, even though you refused to mention her state of origin.
“A diligent check on the background of the REC would have revealed to you that not only did she grow up in Ondo State, but that she currently also lives in her parents’ house, which is No. 3, Majekodunmi Street, Ijoka Area, Akure town, the state capital.
“Even if she were not of Ondo State origin by birth, the constitution of Nigeria makes it quite clear that anyone who has lived in a particular place for 10 years statutorily qualifies for recognition as an indigene. Chairman Sir, it is obvious that our office did not do a diligent check before issuing that unfortunate statement.
“That unfortunate omission on your part sadly gives the impression that INEC cares less, should the issue of the REC’s residency status and dubious integrity result in avoidable controversies and/or crises, that may fall out from any unwitting act of replicating in the upcoming Ondo State election, the controversial APC template so ignominiously used in the recent Edo State gubernatorial election, the dust from which is yet to settle.”
However, in a responding statement, INEC said it won’t redeploy the REC.
The electoral body explained that since the calls were not backed by any credible evidence of unethical or criminal acts against the REC in question, she would not be redeployed.
Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said INEC has an established policy for deploying and redeploying RECs.
Oyekanmi stressed that the decisions were not influenced by political parties or partisan individuals, unless “there’s credible evidence of unethical or criminal conduct.
The CPS stated: “The Independent National Electoral Commission deploys and redeploys Resident Electoral Commissioners based on its established policy, not on calls by political parties or partisan individuals, especially if such calls are not backed by any credible evidence of unethical or criminal act against the REC in question.
“To that extent, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State will not be redeployed.
“We appeal to the PDP to join hands with the commission in its effort to conduct a free and fair election in the state on November 16.”
The New Diplomat reports that the forthcoming election in Ondo State has turned out to be a two-horse race with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, who is the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) contesting against Agboola Ajayi of the PDP.
It would be recalled that Aiyedatiwa, a former deputy governor who assumed the position of governor following the passing of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in December 2023, is considered one of the frontrunners in the upcoming Ondo gubernatorial election.
He is contesting against Ajayi who is also a former Deputy Governor of Ondo state.
It would be recalled that Ajayi served as Akeredolu’s Deputy from 2017 to 2021 before their relationship deteriorated. Subsequently, the late governor opted to part ways with Ajayi and appointed Aiyedatiwa as his Deputy for his second tenure.
