The Coalition of Political Parties in Oyo State on Monday protested against the redeployment of Rufus Akeju as the new Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state.
Akeju, who was Osun REC, stepped aside for the August 9 governorship election in Osun State over protest by the Peoples Democratic Party, is replacing Nasiru Ayilara in Oyo State.
CPP members in large numbers stormed the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, carrying placards with various inscriptions.
Some of the inscriptions read, ‘Akeju na APC man’, ‘Oyo rejects Akeju’ and ‘Akeju will mar Oyo election’.
Our correspondent gathered that the protesters were people loyal to some political parties in the state, who believed that the All Progressives Congress would stand to benefit from the 2015 elections with Akeju in charge in the state.
Coordinator of the group, Moroof Akinwande, told journalists that Akeju’s record as INEC senior official inspired the protest.
“An umpire can’t be partisan, the man Akeju has been alleged to be an ally of an APC leader; he’s not fit to conduct election in any state in Nigeria. He should be kept in the cooler in INEC Headquarters in Abuja if the body can’t sack him. Why should he be redeployed to Oyo State when he was asked to step aside in Osun State?”
He added that the group would continue to demand a level-playing field ahead of 2015 elections.
“Give us somebody that will guarantee free and fair election, somebody that is alleged to be unfair cannot be said to be agent of free, fair and credible election, that’s what we are saying,” he said.
Outgoing REC in the state, Ayilara, however described his successor as a man of integrity, who the people of the state should allow and support to do the job assigned to him.
“It is a normal thing (redeployment) which is expected of anybody in the system to comply with. The exercise is to protect the integrity of the commission, to ensure that the election is fair, transparent and credible and it is a must to have a sitting REC.”
Ayilara noted that the protest was not properly channelled.
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