The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist pressure to transfer its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oluwatoyin Babalola, ahead of the forthcoming governorship election on 16 November. The APC’s statement follows recent protests led by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has accused Babalola of alleged partiality towards APC leaders.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, APC spokesperson Steve Otaloro criticised the PDP’s request for Babalola’s redeployment, dismissing it as “a desperate and baseless move.” Otaloro expressed concern that the PDP’s demand aims to influence the electoral process by seeking control over the personnel involved in managing the election.
The APC contended that the PDP’s actions violate both constitutional principles and the provisions of the Electoral Act of 2022. The ruling party asserted that electoral management is governed by established laws and cannot be directed by the demands of any political faction.
Labeling the PDP-led protests as an attempt to destabilise the election’s credibility, the APC stated, “We urge INEC to remain impartial and resist the PDP’s pressure. Yielding to their demands would be unfair to other parties and could compromise the electoral process.”
In a related development, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ondo State has also expressed its support for Babalola. During a press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Akure, IPAC Chairman Adesanya Olaoluwa dismissed allegations of Babalola’s political bias, describing them as unsubstantiated.
Olaoluwa, alongside other IPAC members, reiterated their confidence in the REC’s ability to oversee a fair election, saying, “IPAC Ondo State chapter, representing all political parties, unanimously passed a vote of confidence in REC, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, to fulfill her statutory obligations for the forthcoming election.”