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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)Governors, Mohammed Bala(Bauchi), Seyi Makinde( Oyo) and Ademola Adeleke (Osun) as well as other party chieftains turned up in Akure on Tuesday to give backing to the party’s governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, ahead of the Ondo election slated for November 16.
At the campaign flag off, Governors Adeleke and Makinde, and the Acting National Chairman of the party, Iliya Damagun, respectively called for the removal of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Toyin Babalola, saying she would not be able to give the various political parties a level playing ground in the forth coming elections.
Governor Makinde, who is also the leader of the PDP in the South West zone disclosed that the party will continue to protest until she was removed.
He said her removal would prevent what happened during the last gubernatorial election in Edo state and ensure a free, fair and credible election in Ondo.
He said: “This message is for the INEC national chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud. You must remove the REC in Ondo state, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
“The last governorship election in Edo state was a fraud and we don’t want that in Ondo state. The current REC is from Ondo state. We don’t want her to conduct this election. We will not condone injustice.
“What they did in Edo will not succeed in Ondo. We will protest until she is removed. Bring another REC that will be fair, that will allow a level playing field. We as PDP aren’t afraid of any contest. Remove her or else, we will continue to protest.”
He lamented the economic hardship under the ruling party stressing that the people are tired of the woes that is daily becoming their reality.
He thus urged the people to embark on house-to house campaign and ensure they deliver their votes for the PDP.
But INEC has swiftly reacted to the call, saying the suppositions of the PDP governors were unfounded.
The Commission clarified that Mrs Babalola is not from Ondo State contrary to the claim by the Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde.
In a statement on its official X page on Tuesday, INEC warned public officials to always verify information before making claims.
The statement fully read:
“Our attention has been drawn to an allegation made by the Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde at his party’s campaign rally held today in Akure in which he called on the INEC Chairman to remove the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ondo State, Mrs. Toyin Babalola, because “she is from Ondo 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. 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.
“We appeal to holders of high public office such as Governor Makinde to verify their information before making these serial, unfounded allegations.”
Meanwhile, Governor Mohammed, while addressing PDP supporters in Akure, charged Ondo people to vote for the PDP so as to overcome the economic challenges that the ruling party had brought on all the people.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the party’s flag bearer, Agboola Ajayi to give the right leadership to the people if given the chance to be at the helms of affairs.
The highpoint of the flag off was the presentation of the party’s flag to the Mr Ajayi by the Acting National Chairman , PDP, Iliya Damagun to the cheers of the people.
Mr Damagun however used the opportunity to chide the ruling party for being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.
Mr Ajayi, in his speech, appreciated all the governors for coming all out to support him and the party just as he promised to deliver the dividends of democracy when elected into office.
The candidate also reiterated the call for the removal of Ondo REC and said the party did not have confidence in her conduct of a free, fair and credible governorship election.
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