Ondo Poll: PDP Rejects OAU VC Ogunbodede As Chief Returning Officer, Says He’s Akeredolu’s “Kinsman”

The Peoples Democratic Party has rejected the Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, as the Chief Returning Officer for the Ondo State governorship election coming up on Saturday.

The Chairman, National Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic who is also the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said at a press conference in Akure on Thursday that Ogunbodede and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Rotimi Akeredolu, are from Owo Local Government Area.

Apart from being kinsmen, Makinde claimed that Ogunbodede is a crony of the governor.

Based on this relationship, he said Ogunbodede would not be fair while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission to replace him with somebody who is not related to any of the contestants in any way.

He also called on the United Nations, United States, European Union and all lovers of democracy to tell INEC to be fair to all the parties.

He said, ‘It has come to our notice that the people of Ondo State will not be getting free and fair elections if the Independent National Electoral Commission as presently composed, will be overseeing the elections.

“We are speaking in particular about the appointment of Prof Eyitope Ogungbenro Ogunbodede, the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, as the Chief Returning Officer of the Ondo State Governorship election.

“The PDP totally rejects Prof Eyitope Ogungbenro Ogunbodede acting as Chief Returning Officer. He is a known crony of Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, candidate of the All Progressives Congress and hails from Owo, the same hometown as the candidate. He cannot be a fair party in the proceedings by virtue of their association.

“We also want to state that Professor A. S. Bamire, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, who conducted the training of returning officers is not a neutral party for the purpose of this election.

” We therefore call on INEC to stay true to their name and replace Prof Eyitope Ogungbenro Ogunbodede with a disinterested party. The Chief Returning Officer should have no affiliations with any of the participating parties in the elections.”

He called on security agencies to do more to ensure that the election was not manipulated in anyway.