Babatope Okeowo 
The Ondo State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has passed a vote on confidence on the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
The Chairman of the IPAC, Mr Olaooluwa Adesanya dissociated the body from the protest over the removal of Babalola from conducting the next election.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Adesanya said there was no need for the removal of Babalola before the November 16 governorship election as she has carried the political parties along in the day-to-day activities of the commission.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the removal of Babalola because of her vested interest in the election. She was alleged to have come from the state. A youth group also stormed the INEC office in Abuja and called for the removal of the REC.
However, Adesanya said IPAC has carried out its comprehensive findings on the said matters and come out with the submissions that there was no need for her removal before the polls.
His words “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 16t,h, 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 has absolute confidence in the ability of the state resident electoral commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, to conduct a free, fair, and credible election in the forthcoming November 16th, 2024 governorship election in Ondo State.
“IPAC Ondo State Chapter hereby calls on security agents to monitor and call for arrest hired political thugs that may disrupt peace before, during, and after the governorship election in Ondo State.
“IPAC Ondo State chapter, the umbrella of all political parties, hereby unanimously passed 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.”
