The Integrity Youth Alliance (IYA) has condemned the call by the Muslim Rights Concern for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission over the redeployment of the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), describing the demand as baseless, reckless and politically motivated.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Kelvin Adegbenga, the group said the redeployment of Resident Electoral Commissioners has always been a routine administrative practice of INEC since its inception.
The alliance stated that the replacement of former Osun REC, Mutiu Agboke, with Toyin Babalola was in line with the commission’s established operational procedures and should not be turned into what it described as “an unnecessary controversy.”
According to the group, the redeployment does not raise any issue concerning neutrality, fairness or due process within the electoral body, contrary to allegations allegedly being promoted by MURIC and its collaborators.
The IYA further accused MURIC of seeking relevance by attacking INEC over what it described as a routine administrative exercise that has long been part of the commission’s institutional culture.
The alliance also dismissed allegations credited to Abayomi Arabambi that the Osun REC was removed following a petition allegedly written by the chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, describing the claims as malicious, unfounded and misleading.
It maintained that INEC owed no explanation to MURIC regarding the redeployment, insisting that the deployment and redeployment of Resident Electoral Commissioners remained the constitutional and administrative responsibility of the commission.
The group further criticised comments attributed to Ishaq Akintola warning that the continued leadership of the electoral body could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process, describing the remarks as reckless and an attempt to intimidate an independent constitutional institution.
The alliance urged MURIC to focus on its stated objective of promoting and protecting the rights of Muslims while fostering peaceful coexistence, instead of engaging in what it termed divisive rhetoric capable of heating up the polity.
It reaffirmed its commitment to defending democratic institutions, constitutional order and the independence of INEC against what it described as blackmail, propaganda and political intimidation.