The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has replied to the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, following his assertion concerning the deployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ondo State, Toyin Babalola.
Naija News understands that Makinde had earlier alleged that Babalola hails from the state and, hence, should not be deployed for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Recall that the off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State is scheduled for November 16, 2024.
However, on its official X account on Tuesday, INEC addressed Makinde’s remarks from a campaign event in Akure earlier in the day, during which he requested the removal of Babalola, claiming she hails from Ondo State.
INEC reiterated that the REC is not a citizen of the state.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Mrs Babalola is not from Ondo State, in line with the Commission’s policy not to deploy a REC to his or her state of origin,” the commission stated.
INEC also recalled a similar event where Makinde, in 2020, before the governorship contest in Ondo, alleged that a high-ranking INEC official was working together with a university vice-chancellor to sway the election results.
INEC refuted that claim as untrue.
“In 2020, ahead of the last governorship election in the same state, he accused a senior official of the Commission of working with the Vice-Chancellor of a federal university to undermine the election. The allegation was untrue,” INEC explained.
The electoral body urged prominent public figures to verify their claims before making “serial, unfounded allegations” and called for caution in spreading unsubstantiated information.