- By Halimah Olamide
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday accused the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde of spreading falsehood about the Ondo state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
INEC said the claim by Makinde that Babalola is an indigene of Ondo was a blatant lie adding that the Governor is fond of making false allegations.
NPO Reports that Makinde had told the gathering of PDP supporters in Ondon on Tuesday that the PDP would resist her deployment saying there will be protests until she is removed.
But in a swift reaction, INEC said in a statement obtained by the NPO Reports, “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.”
Saying that “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 said “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.”
INEC went ahead, “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.”