Ondo guber: Protesters storm INEC Hqts, Abuja, demand redeployment of REC

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

Demonstrators, under the aegis of Ondo State Youth League Action for Credible and Transparent Elections, on Tuesday stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Abuja, demanding the immediate redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, from the state.
The demonstrators blocked the entrance to the INEC headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, waving banners and placards with different inscriptions.
The protesters were consistently 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, the State capital, that Babalola’s background in Ondo may compromise the neutrality of the electoral process.
Recall that the Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, made a similar request, citing concerns over Babalola’s alleged links to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Speaking through their Leader, Mr Ayo Adeyemi, the demonstrators said, “We, the members of the Ondo Youth League, Action for Credible and Transparent Elections, want to use this medium to call on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu to heed to wise counsel by redeploying the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.