The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to always verify information before presenting them to the public.
In a veiled update posted on its verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, the election management body urged “holders of high public office such as Governor Makinde to verify their information before making these serial, unfounded allegations”.
Makinde’s wants INEC to redeploy Ondo REC
The commission was reacting to a statement credited to the governor during the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign in Akure, the state capital earlier in the day, where Governor Makinde was calling for the redeployment of the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Toyin Babalola, ahead of the upcoming governorship election, alleging that the senior electoral officer hails from the state.
INEC debunks claim
In its response, INEC denied the claim, saying its policy forbids it from posting such high-ranking officer to serve in their state of origin.
“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 release stated.
The election management body also accused the governor of making false allegations against it in 2020 when the party was holding similar event to campaign for its then candidate.
Below is the full text of the update
“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.”