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The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has slammed Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for demanding the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ondo, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
Makinde made the call during the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party’s campaign in Akure on Tuesday, ahead of the 16th November governorship election.
He urged the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to transfer Babalola, a move echoed by the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who cited her Ondo State origin as a cause for concern.
In a statement on Wednesday, APC Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, described Makinde’s remarks as inappropriate, stressing that Mrs Babalola had demonstrated “integrity, competence, and capacity” in her role since assuming office.
The statement, titled ‘Ondo Not an Appendage of Oyo,’ advised Makinde to stay out of Ondo State’s political affairs.
The statement read in part: “The REC has demonstrated integrity and competence since her appointment. It is ludicrous that Governor Makinde would make such demands when he had no influence in her posting to Ondo. Ondo State and the electoral body are not appendages of his empire, where he presides as an administrator.”
The APC further condemned Makinde’s comments as “unsolicited advice” to the people of Ondo, dismissing his warning against selling their votes.
“Ondo people are politically sophisticated and act based on conviction, not as cheaply as Mr Makinde suggests,” the statement added.
Reacting to the APC’s criticism, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kennedy Peretei, defended Makinde, labelling the APC’s response as “pedestrian.”
Peretei argued that Makinde, as a major stakeholder in the PDP, had every right to raise concerns about the REC’s impartiality.
“The Ondo APC is once again displaying its usual pedestrian approach in reacting to Governor Makinde’s call for a free and fair election,” Peretei said.
