Protesters from the Ondo Youth League, Action for Credible and Transparent Election, have gone back to the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to demand that their petition to move Mrs. Toyin Babalola from her job as Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo state to another position be taken seriously. Protesters say Babalola may not be fair because he has lived in the state for 10 years.
The election for governor of Ondo state is set for November 16, 2024, and tensions are rising as different groups and parties work to make sure the process is free and fair. Protesters with signs are asking for openness and fairness in the election because they are worried about Babalola’s alleged ties to some political parties.
They want Mrs. Toyin Babalola to be moved to a different job, the election to be open and fair, and an immediate answer from INEC. Ms. Ndidi Okafor, who is acting as INEC’s director of security, agreed with the protesters and told them that the commission would meet to talk about their demands.
She did stress, though, that decisions aren’t made right away and that the panel has to meet to make them. Protesters, led by Mr. Ayo Adeyemi, want a quick answer because the election is coming up soon.
“The election is only 16 days away,” Adeyemi said. We can’t keep waiting for INEC to answer. The current protests and calls for Babalola to be sent somewhere else have big effects on the election process in Ondo state.
The situation could make things worse, hurt trust, and make people less likely to vote. A lot of people are keeping a close eye on what’s going on, and some are calling for INEC to move quickly to meet the demands of the protesters.
Others have said they are worried that the situation could become violent and unstable if it is not handled properly. “INEC must prioritize transparency and fairness to maintain public trust,” said Dr. Dele Oyewale, a political analyst.
A leader in civil society, Mr. Femi Aduwo, said, “The protesters’ concerns are valid.” INEC should speed up the decision-making process to keep things from getting worse. The protests have been talked about a lot on Twitter, with the hashtags #OndoDecides2024 and #INECRespondNow becoming popular.
@Oladimeji: “INEC needs to pay attention to what the protesters want.” “Elections that people can trust must be open and honest.” “Babalola’s redeployment is a must,” said @Bamidele. INEC needs to act quickly.
The protesters have said they will stay at the INEC offices until their demands are met. What happens next will depend on INEC’s reaction. It’s possible that INEC will reassign Babalola, things will stay the same, or protests will get worse.
The situation is still fluid, and the result is still unknown. The 16-day countdown to the election has started. It will happen on November 16, 2024.
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