Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has described as unfortunate a statement made by the Governor of Oyo State and Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the governorship election in the state, Seyi Makinde, rejecting Vice- Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, as the Chief Returning Officer for Saturday’s governorship election.
According to Akeredolu, who spoke through the spokesperson of 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. Olatunde in the statement issued yesterday said “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”
