Opposition demands removal of Osun REC
top echelon
of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is discussing
the future of Ambassador Toyin Akeju as the Resident Electoral
Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Nigerian Tribune has learnt.
Opposition parties in the state are demanding his removal for alleged bias.
A litigation to stop him from conducting the forthcoming June 21 governorship election in the state is also pending.
It was learnt that the commission began to see his continued stay as an automatic debit to the credibility of the election when opposition parties staged a walk-out on INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, during a stakeholders’ meeting on February 13 in Osogbo.
A peaceful protest was also staged at the venue of the meeting by loyalists across party lines, demanding his removal.
Akeju is battling accusations of being a card-carrying member of APC and a former aide to the national leader of the party and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu. He has vehemently denied the allegations.
A top source told the Nigerian Tribune that the direction of discourse on Akeju’s fate pointed at imminent deployment to forestall a situation where allegation of bias would taint the election from the take-off point.
A source disclosed that issues of evidence or exhibits to prove the allegations might have little role to play in deciding Akeju’s future, saying that everything was being put in the Osun election to make it a success story.
The source added that though the commission was not empowered to sack RECs, it could redeploy them, “and this is what is likely to happen in this particular case.”
Another senior source confirmed the concern over Akeju, adding that it appeared there was something to the opposition against him, considering how serious his hecklers had taken their case.
There had been publications quoting him as representing Tinubu at functions before his appointment.
The Opposition parties in the state are demanding his removal for alleged bias.
A litigation to stop him from conducting the forthcoming June 21 governorship election in the state is also pending.
It was learnt that the commission began to see his continued stay as an automatic debit to the credibility of the election when opposition parties staged a walk-out on INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, during a stakeholders’ meeting on February 13 in Osogbo.
A peaceful protest was also staged at the venue of the meeting by loyalists across party lines, demanding his removal.
Akeju is battling accusations of being a card-carrying member of APC and a former aide to the national leader of the party and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu. He has vehemently denied the allegations.
A top source told the Nigerian Tribune that the direction of discourse on Akeju’s fate pointed at imminent deployment to forestall a situation where allegation of bias would taint the election from the take-off point.
A source disclosed that issues of evidence or exhibits to prove the allegations might have little role to play in deciding Akeju’s future, saying that everything was being put in the Osun election to make it a success story.
The source added that though the commission was not empowered to sack RECs, it could redeploy them, “and this is what is likely to happen in this particular case.”
Another senior source confirmed the concern over Akeju, adding that it appeared there was something to the opposition against him, considering how serious his hecklers had taken their case.
There had been publications quoting him as representing Tinubu at functions before his appointment.
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