By OKEY NDIRIBE

_ABU—Ahead of next month’s governorship election in Osun State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, last Tuesday yielded to the demand of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and removed the State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Rufus Akeju.

The commission also redeployed the Kogi State REC, Segun Agbaje, to Osun. The re-deployed REC has already assumed duty in Osun.

This was confirmed yesterday by the INEC Deputy Director incharge of Public Affairs, Mr Nick Dazang, while speaking to news men in Kaduna.

Dazang had also explained that contrary to speculations, Akeju was only asked to proceed on his annual leave, adding  that he would still remain as Osun REC at the end of his vacation, even though he would not be in charge during Osun State governorship election.

He further explained that it was clear that the Osun State REC would not be allowed to conduct Osun election, following the series of petitions and protests against his continued stay as REC by some stakeholders in the state as well as a court ruling ordering his removal from office.