Ondo IPAC passes vote of confidence in REC ahead of guber election -

...says allegation of connivance is false, unsubstantiated

By Our Reporter

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ondo State has passed a vote of confidence in the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

IPAC’s chairman, Mr. Adesanyan Olaoluwa, while addressing journalists in Akure at the NUJ Press Centre on Wednesday, stated that allegations of Mrs. Babalola’s connivance with any political party are false and unsubstantiated, following a comprehensive investigation by the council.

Mr. Adesanyan expressed absolute confidence in Mrs. Babalola’s ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.

He advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, to disregard protests calling for Mrs. Babalola’s redeployment, suggesting they are sponsored by vested interests.

According to him: “IPAC Ondo State chapter, the umbrella of all political parties hereby unanimously passes votes of confidence on the INEC Ondo State Resident electoral Commissioner Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola to carry out her statutory obligations concerning the forthcoming November 16th 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State.

“IPAC Ondo State Chapter has carried out its comprehensive findings on the said matters and come out with the followings submissions. That IPAC equivocally stated that INEC Ondo State under the watch of the state resident electoral commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola has carried IPAC along in all the commission’s activities, as regard the forthcoming November 16th 2024 governorship election in Ondo State.

“That the alleged connivance of the state REC with any political party to subvert the coming November 16th 2024 governorship election is false and can not be substantiated whatsoever.

“IPAC Ondo State have absolute confidence in the ability of the state resident electoral commissioner Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola to conduct free, fair and credible election in the forthcoming November 16th 2024 governorship election in Ondo State.”