Members of the Ondo Youth League and Action for Credible and Transparent Elections gathered at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to demand the redeployment of Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ondo State.
Led by convener Comrade Ayo Adeyemi, the hundreds of youths carried placards with messages such as “INEC, let Ondo be the example of transparent elections,” “We don’t want the Edo fiasco in Ondo,” and “INEC, ensure fairness: redeploy Babalola.”
Speaking to journalists outside the INEC headquarters, Comrade Adeyemi emphasized the importance of transparency and credibility in the upcoming Ondo State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, November 16, 2024.
He stated: “Our call this morning aims to ensure that the electoral processes are not only transparent and credible but also overseen by individuals whose opinions are impartial and consistent.
“Concerns have been raised regarding Mrs. Babalola’s potential bias in the upcoming election due to her ties to Ondo State and the ruling party. This connection poses a threat to democracy and undermines the credibility of other political parties participating in the election.
“In light of these issues, we reiterate our demand for the immediate redeployment of Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola as INEC REC in Ondo State.
“We believe in dialogue and cooperation and hope that INEC will take necessary steps to restore the trust of the people of Ondo State by addressing this matter before the November 2024 Governorship Election.”