Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Ondo State Governor, has described as unfortunate the statement credited to his Oyo State counterpart and Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the Governorship election in the state, Seyi Makinde, over his call that the Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, should be replaced as the Chief Returning Officer for the Saturday’s governorship election.
According to Akeredolu, who spoke through the Spokesperson, Akeredolu/Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation, Olabode Richard Olatunde, “it is forgivable for the PDP in Ondo State to continue to raise false alarm and make spurious allegations over the election, it is inexcusable for a Governor like Seyi Makinde to market ignorance in such a shameful manner. This ridicules, in no small measure, the exalted office of Governor.”
Earlier, Makinde at a press conference had alleged that Prof. Ogunbodede is Akeredolu kinsman from Owo.
Olatunde in the statement issued on Thursday evening emphasized that “As at the time he raised the objection, INEC had not even announced the appointment of a Retuning Officer for this Saturday’s election. We cannot but wonder how and where Governor Makinde in particular, got the information.
“Governor Makinde, as a member of the Nigerian council of State, ought to know that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not, and shall never appoint a Returning Officer who is an indigene to administer elections. No indigene of Ondo State can ever be made a Returning Officer.
“By this pedestrian dance, Governor Makinde has shown himself to be a disgrace to public decency and the office he is holding.
“For us in the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Akeredolu/Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation, we believe in fairness and credibility. Our trust in INEC on a free, fair and credible election on Saturday remains undoubted.
“Therefore, we urge the people of the state to disregard the ignorance exhibited by the PDP and Governor Seyi Makinde while getting set to participate in the election on Saturday.”
