The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for his demand to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Ondo State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
Makinde made this call during the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party‘s (PDP) campaign in Akure on Tuesday. He urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to transfer Babalola, citing her alleged origin from Ondo State as a reason for the request. However, INEC has refuted this claim, stating that Babalola is not from Ondo State, in line with the commission’s policy not to deploy a REC to their state of origin.
The Ondo State chapter of the APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, described Makinde’s remarks as inappropriate and stressed that Mrs. Babalola has demonstrated “integrity, competence, and capacity” in her role since assuming office. The APC statement advised Makinde to stay out of Ondo State’s political affairs, labeling his comments as “unsolicited advice” and “ludicrous” given his lack of influence in Babalola’s posting to Ondo.
The PDP, however, defended Makinde’s stance, with the party’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, arguing that Makinde had every right to raise concerns about the REC’s impartiality. Peretei described the APC’s response as “pedestrian” and reiterated the PDP’s commitment to ensuring a free and fair election.
