Akeredolu lashes Makinde for rejecting OAU VC as Chief returning Officer

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, 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.”

Recall Mouthpiece NGR had earlier today reported that Makinde at a press conference said that Prof. Ogunbodede is Akeredolu kinsman from Owo.

But reacting to the statement, Olatunde 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.

“INEC does not, and shall never appoint an indigene Ondo as Returning Officer”. 

Akeredolu, who is seeking re-election described Makinde’s statement as a disgrace to public decency and an embarrassment to the exalted office of the Governor he currently occupies.

 He further said that his claims on INEC returning officer for the election is an evidence that his Oyo State Counterpart is an intellectual liliputian who found his way to the corridor of power through mischief.

The statements reads in parts: “we find as unfortunate, the statement credited to the Governor of Oyo State and Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the Governorship election in Ondo State, Seyi Makinde, rejecting the Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, as the Chief Returning Officer for Saturday’s Governorship election in Ondo State.

“While 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.

“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 the 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” the statement, concluded.

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