By: Mercy Peter
Demonstrators from Ondo State Tuesday besieged the Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja, demanding the immediate redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, from the state.
The demonstrators blocked the entrance to the national secretariat, waving banners and placards with different inscriptions.
The protester shouted ,“Mahmood: Redeploy Babalola Now” and “We Don’t Want a Repeat of Edo Fiasco.”
The protest is coming at the heels of the concern raised by the Peoples Democratic Party campaign rally in Akure that Babalola’s background in Ondo may compromise the neutrality of the electoral process.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, made a similar request, citing concerns over Babalola’s alleged links to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Ayo Adeyemi, Leader of the demonstrators and Convener of the Ondo Youth League, argued journalists that while they had no personal issues with the REC, they could not risk any potential bias in the upcoming election.
“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.”
