BREAKING: INEC suspends Akure North electoral officer over alleged dereliction of duty

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has indefinitely suspended its Electoral Officer in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Akole Mobolade, following allegations of poor performance and failure to discharge her official duties.

Furthermore, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, instructed electoral officers I and III within the same local government to step down from their positions with immediate effect.

To prevent any administrative vacuum, Bisi Farokanmi was swiftly appointed in an acting capacity to manage the commission’s affairs across the local government area pending further directives.

This decisive disciplinary action unfolded during a surprise inspection of INEC facilities across Akure, Akure North, and Akure South, where Dr. Agboke was evaluating staff conduct and election readiness.

Consequently, the swift sanctions were triggered when the commissioner arrived unannounced at the Akure North office, only to find the electoral officer and her assistants absent from their posts.

Strongly condemning the absenteeism, Dr. Agboke described the incident as completely unacceptable, particularly as the commission actively ramps up preparations for the 2027 general elections alongside the ongoing Permanent Voter Card collection exercise.

Conversely, the commissioner praised the workforce at the Akure South office after finding staff dutifully at their posts and noting the satisfactory condition of the facility’s storage units.

Meanwhile, Dr. Agboke confirmed that INEC has already commenced the receipt and distribution of non-sensitive election materials to local government offices, reiterating the commission’s commitment to delivering seamless preparations for the upcoming polls.