THE governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, cast his vote in the ongoing governorship election on Saturday, November 16, but expressed dissatisfaction with the process.
Ajayi voted at Apoi Ward 11, unit 004, at RCM Idumado Quarters, Kiribo, in his hometown, in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state.
He slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ‘failing’ to properly organise the election.
He cited widespread complaints about the late arrival of election materials and malfunctioning biometric voter accreditation system (BVAS) machines.
He also claimed that the election process was intentionally being sabotaged.
“All of us here have seen what’s going on. A lot of complaints here and there. If INEC cannot successfully organise an election in just one state, then you must know that you’re running into trouble,” Ajayi stated.
He added, “Even I, contesting in the election, had to wait up to 10 minutes before I could be allowed to cast my vote. A lot of women will go back to their houses out of frustration.”
Ajayi further accused the INEC and the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, Oluwatoyin Babalola, of deliberate attempts to disrupt the voting process.
“I think it’s deliberate on the part of INEC and REC. We have said severally that we don’t trust Oluwatoyin Babalola. This woman cannot be fair. I’ve made a series of calls today, and people are complaining about vote-buying, and BVAS machines are not working. Even if they were rigging tools for them, they’re not even working.”
The PDP candidate then called for the resignation of the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, accusing him of being compromised.
“I think Nigerians should just call on the INEC chairman to resign. If he can’t do the job, he should honourably resign. This is embarrassing. He’s totally compromised and it’s very sad.”
The PDP had asked for the redeployment of the INEC REC in Ondo following an allegation by the governor of Oyo State Seyi Makinde, that she was an indigene of Ondo.
In a petition to the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, the PDP argued that even if it is true that Babalola was not an indigene of Ondo State, her residency in the state for over thirty years disqualified her from serving as the election umpire for the poll.
“A diligent check on the background of the REC would have revealed to you that not only did she grow up in Ondo State, but that she currently also lives in her parents’ house which is No. 3, Majekodunmi Street, Ijoka Area, Akure town, the state capital,” part of the petition reads.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, October 15, INEC described the allegation as false.
“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 resident electoral commissioner (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, ahead of the last governorship election in the same state, he 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.”
The ICIR reported that the incumbent Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) voted in his hometown in Obe Nla in Ilaje Local Government Area and expressed satisfaction with the process.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M