…vows to continue sensitising voters
By Ayodele Popoola
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Ondo State chapter, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ignore the call for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola.
IPAC State Chairman, Prince Olaoluwa Adesanya, made the call on Wednesday at a press conference in Akure, stating that the group passed a vote of confidence in the State REC.
He stressed that IPAC and the people of Ondo State have absolute confidence in the ability of the REC to conduct a free, fair, credible, and conclusive election in the forthcoming November 16, 2024, Governorship Election in the state.
It will be recalled that some groups allegedly sponsored by an opposition party had earlier staged protests in the state capital and Abuja, calling for the removal of the REC.
The group urged the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to disregard what they described as the baseless accusations churned out by some groups and to focus on delivering a credible and violence-free election in the state.
Adesanya stated, “IPAC in Ondo State, the umbrella body of all political parties, hereby unanimously disapproves of the call for the removal of the REC on account of the allegations of bias and compromise against her.”
He noted that the group considers the allegations to be false and baseless, unanimously passing votes of confidence in the REC to carry out her statutory obligations concerning the forthcoming November 16, 2024, Governorship Election in Ondo State.
Adesanya revealed that Babalola has kept IPAC informed about all the Commission’s activities regarding the upcoming election in the state.
“Ondo State IPAC has passed a vote of confidence in the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, to carry out her statutory obligations concerning the forthcoming November 16, 2024, Governorship Election in Ondo State.
“At the level of IPAC, we know the level of neutrality of the REC, and she has been telling us that she has no interest in any individual or any political party, which has been the basis of their protest.
“We have had a series of meetings with the Commission, and all 19 registered political parties in Ondo State were in attendance. She has been giving us room to ask questions on areas that we did not understand.
“IPAC and Ondo State have absolute confidence in the ability of the State REC to conduct a free, fair, credible, and conclusive election in the forthcoming November 16, 2024, Governorship Election in Ondo State. We have seen how far it has been going. So we hereby advise the National INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu, to ignore the call for the redeployment of Ondo State’s REC,” Adesanya said.
The group further reiterated its willingness to continue sensitising voters in the state on the importance of voting.
IPAC also called on security agents to monitor and arrest hired political thugs that may disrupt peace before, during, and after the election.