The National Vice Chairman (South West) of the Labour Party, Mr Abayomi Arabambi, has faulted the transfer of the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mutiu Agboke, describing it as unconstitutional.
Arabambi, who stated this while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, expressed concern over what he described as a pattern of administrative actions within the Independent National Electoral Commission which threaten Nigeria’s democracy.
Ahead of the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026, INEC, on April 8, transferred Agboke to Ondo State.
Defending the decision, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, stated that the redeployment was a routine administrative measure and should not be interpreted as interference in the forthcoming Osun governorship poll.
Mr Arabambi, however, insisted that the appointment, tenure, and removal of RECs were not matters to be decided at the discretion or convenience of the INEC chairman.
Arabambi referenced the Third Schedule, Part 1, Item F, Paragraph 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as Section 154(1), which provides that Resident Electoral Commissioners are appointed by the President and require Senate confirmation.
He insisted that the decision was taken without presidential approval and Senate confirmation, arguing that it exceeded the chairman’s constitutional authority.
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