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The All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party, on Wednesday, differed over the call by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for the redeployment of Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
While the Ondo and Oyo State chapters of the APC knocked Makinde over his call, the Ondo and South-West chapters of the PDP declared support for the Oyo State governor.
Makinde had on Tuesday during the flagoff of the campaign for the governorship candidate of the PDP in the State, Agboola Ajayi, in Akure, the state capital, claimed that the Ondo REC, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola was an indigene of the state, hence should be removed before the November 16 election.
In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the Ondo APC, Mr Alex Kalejaiye, the party faulted Makinde’s comment, saying the REC had been demonstrating integrity, competence and capacity to handle any election, since its assumption of office.
In the statement titled, “Ondo not an appendage of Oyo.” the ruling party asked the governor to mind his business and leave Ondo politics alone.
The statement further read, “The party notes that the electoral officer has, since assumption of office, demonstrated integrity, competence and capacity to handle any election. We find it extremely ludicrous that Makinde would give a directive in such a manner when he didn’t influence the transfer of Mrs Babalola to Ondo State, neither is he a player in the political space of the state.”
Reacting, the Publicity Secretary of the Ondo PDP, Mr Kennedy Peretei, described the APC’s reaction to Makinde’s comment as pedestrian, as he insisted that Makinde is a major stakeholder in PDP.
“The Ondo State APC is as usual very pedestrian in their response to Engr Seyi Makinde’s call for the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair election in Ondo State.
“They feign ignorance of the facts in the public domain that the Resident Electoral Commissioner has been holding nocturnal meetings with the APC leadership.
“Governor Seyi Makinde is a critical stakeholder in the Peoples Democratic Party and can advise the APC appropriately.”
In the same vein, The Peoples Democratic Party in the Southwest declared support for Makinde’s call.
PDP Southwest Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, in a statement, said the Oyo State governor’s observation should not be discountenanced by INEC.
Atofarati said, “This call is to ensure the credibility of the upcoming November governorship election in the state.”
The statement read, “Governor Makinde raised concerns about Babalola’s alleged alliance with some APC leaders in Ondo State, which could compromise the integrity of the electoral process. The PDP has urged INEC to distance itself from any action that could undermine democracy.
“There is a need for vigilance among the people of Ondo State to protect their mandate. The party believes that the REC’s ties to the ruling APC make her unfit to oversee the upcoming election.
“The PDP is confident that the people of Ondo State are determined to vote for the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, in the November election. Any attempt or attempts to manipulate the election through Babalola or other APC leaders will be met with strong resistance.
“The Southwest PDP remains resolute in its support for the call for redeployment of Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, who is currently the INEC REC in Ondo State because she cannot be trusted to superintend the November Governorship election due to her alleged conspicuous ties with the ruling APC in the state.
“The people of Ondo State, especially the downtrodden, are particularly concerned about the upcoming election, and INEC has the responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral processes.
“The people will not tolerate any act of manipulation through an ally of the state Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and other APC leaders. Any attempt to impose a known manipulator through INEC will be strongly resisted.”
