There is currently a large crowd of protesters from Ondo gathered at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, calling for the immediate reassignment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, from the state.
Naija News understands that the protesters carried banners and placards with slogans such as “Mahmood: Redeploy Babalola Now” and “We Don’t Want a Repeat of Edo Fiasco,” effectively blocking access to the national headquarters.
They sought a meeting with INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to express their concerns.
This protest follows a similar appeal made by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who raised issues regarding Babalola’s purported connections to the ruling All Progressives Congress just a week prior.
During a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign rally in Akure, Makinde emphasized that Babalola’s local ties in Ondo could jeopardize the impartiality of the electoral process.
Echoing the governor’s sentiments, Ayo Adeyemi, the leader of the protesters and Convener of the Ondo Youth League, informed reporters that while they held no personal grievances against the REC, they could not afford to overlook any potential bias in the forthcoming election.
Adeyemi stated, “Redeploying Babalola is in the best interest of our people and INEC to ensure a free and credible election.”
“We urgently demand that INEC redeploy Ondo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, from the state. We respect her accomplishments, especially as a woman who has risen to such a prominent position. But for a free and fair election in Ondo, we can’t have Babalola overseeing the process. She grew up here, knows nearly everyone in the public sector, and is highly familiar with the state. Babalola hasn’t done anything wrong; we simply want her reassigned to another state to avoid any possible conflict of interest,” the PUNCH quoted Adeyemi saying.
“We’re not here to criticise INEC’s operations; we just want an unbiased REC to oversee the upcoming governorship election,” he added.
In addressing the protesters, INEC National Commissioner, Major General Modibbo Alkali (retd), praised them for their disciplined behaviour.
Alkali guaranteed that the commission would take their concerns about Babalola’s position into account.
“We appreciate seeing you come here well-organised. INEC operates impartially, without alignment to any political party or candidate. We function under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
“We’ve received your letter, and INEC will consider it thoroughly. Rest assured, your concerns will be analysed and addressed by the commission chairman.”