Protest continues as new Oyo REC resumes office Members of Coalition of Political Parties in Oyo State continued their protest over the redeployment of Mr. Rufus Akeju as the new Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner. Akeju, who was Osun REC, replaced Nasiru Ayilara in the state. When Akeju was announced as the new Oyo REC on Monday, the protesters besieged the Independent National Electoral Commission office on Parliament road, Ibadan, with placards that had various inscriptions rejecting the former Osun State REC. The protest continued on Wednesday after Ayilara handed over to his successor, Akeju. Leader of the group, Isiaka Kehinde, told journalists on Wednesday that INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, should listen to the voice of the people and send a ‘competent’ official to the state. He added that Oyo State was too strategic in the South-West politics and should not be toyed with. Kehinde said, “A court in Akure ruled that Akeju is not fit to conduct proper election. Thereafter, there was an appeal where the appellate court maintained the same stand. We have verifiable facts that Akeju is a special aide to the All Progressives Congress leader, Bola Tinubu. He was also a card-carrying member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria that is now part of the APC. “This is the second time we are protesting against his redeployment to Oyo State. Jega should take Akeju to Abuja and give us a neutral person. Oyo State is too strategic, too important to be toyed with. It is the headquarters of the South-West and anything that happens here might escalate to other states. We don’t want violence, what we pray for is a peaceful election in the state and Nigeria.” Kehinde warned that if the call was not heeded, women in the state would protest naked to register their grievances. “Any noble intention without a sustainable action is like an arrow without a tip. We are sure that INEC has more competent officers. Our women are saying that if this appeal is not heeded, they will return here naked so that the world will know that voices of the people count in democratic setting,” he added. But the Head of Voter Education Department, Oyo State INEC, Ayodele Folami, who spoke on behalf of the commission, said a report had been forwarded to the headquarters of INEC in Abuja and that very soon, the commission would come up with a position. He said, “We are aware of their grievances and we have addressed them. The police have talked to them to be calm. They have the right to protest in a peaceful manner but if you are protesting, you don’t prevent other lawful citizens to carry out their duties. “We have reported the protest to the INEC headquarters in Abuja and it is already being addressed by the relevant authorities. The new REC assumed duty on Tuesday, but he is out of the state now on official duty.” Attempts to get the reaction of Akeju was not successful as he told our correspondent on the telephone that he was attending to an important issue.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 02:24:51 +0000
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