The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has implored the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election in Ondo State.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, also the leader of the party in the South-West, appealed on Tuesday in Akure during the official flag-off of the PDP governorship election campaign.

Mr Makinde also called for the removal of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Oluwatoyin Babalola, saying the party had no confidence in her ability to deliver a credible election.

The governor said the call for Ms Babalola’s removal was to safeguard electoral integrity and ensure fairness and level playing ground for all parties in the forthcoming November 16 governorship election.

“The last governorship election in Edo State was a fraud, and we don’t want that in Ondo State,” said Mr Makinde.

“The current REC is from Ondo State, we don’t want her to conduct this election; otherwise, we will continue to protest. We will not condole injustice.”

Also speaking at the rally, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who doubles as the Ondo National Campaign Council chairman, said the PDP governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, was a tested hand.

The PDP national chairman, Umar Damagun, who spoke on the last Edo State governorship election, claimed that the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was the legitimate winner of the election.

According to Mr Damagun, the election in Edo did not meet the necessary democratic standards.

“We don’t want what happened in Edo State in Ondo State. We want free, fair and credible election in Ondo State,” he said.

Mr Ajayi, the governorship candidate of the PDP, said his seven-point agenda would definitely transform the future of the people in the state if voted for.

The candidate also reiterated the call for the removal of Ondo REC and said the party did not have confidence in her conduct of a free, fair and credible governorship election.

(NAN)