INEC Urges Makinde to Verify Facts Before Making Allegations

• INEC cautioned Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde over baseless allegations against the Ondo REC, urging verification of facts before making accusations
• The commission clarified that Ondo REC Toyin Babalola is not from Ondo State, emphasizing its policy against deploying RECs to their home states

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over repeated and baseless allegations directed at the commission during election campaigns.

In a statement shared on Tuesday via its X (formerly Twitter) account, INEC addressed the governor’s recent call for the immediate redeployment of the Ondo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Toyin Babalola, before the November 16 governorship election. Makinde, during the launch of the PDP campaign in Ondo, claimed Babalola had partisan ties and requested her removal to ensure neutrality, suggesting she was from Ondo State.

“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 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, before the last governorship election in the same state, he (Makinde) 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.”