Abuja — The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, yesterday assured that he will not succumb to pressure to transfer recently redeployed Resident Electoral Commissioner to Ondo State, Mrs Ayoka Adebayo.

He described, in an interactive session with media executives in Abuja, that the parameters used in the redeployment of the RECs was almost scientific as certain consideration was given before each REC was transferred to their new states.

"We didn't just wake up to redeploy the RECs. We tried as much as possible to move them to a culturally familiar environment. We do not want them in culturally too challenging environment as it will take long before they become familiar with the terrain. So what we did was to move each REC to states in their zones. We can't allow them to remain in their states of origin or states close to their own states as both have their own disadvantages," Jega revealed.

Mrs Adebayo was moved from Ekiti to Ondo State in the recently effected nationwide movement of Resident Electoral Commissioners by Jega. The redeployment of Adebayo has elicited angry reactions from politicians in Ondo State. The Conference of Political Parties (CNPP) in the state kicked against it recalling the Commissioner's controversial role in the Ekiti re-run election last year.

In a statement on Tuesday, rejecting her redeployment , CNPP said 'Mrs Adebayo has no place in a body that wants to conduct free and fair election when her shameful public somersault over manipulation of the Ekiti by-election still resonates in the tribunal'

Similarly a legal practitioner and human rights activist, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, dragged INEC and its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to court seeking the removal of Ayoka Adebayo as the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

Ogele, in a suit filed before an Akure High Court prayed the court to order, or compel Jega to remove or transfer Adebayo from Ondo State, because her posting was improper and may endanger lives and property in the state.

Ogele, who had earlier called for the removal of the woman within seven days last week, had also vowed to initiate a mass protest on the streets of Akure, if his demand was ignored.

He averred in his motion on notice that "allowing her to conduct any election in Ondo State would result into burning of houses, killings and other related acts that may endanger lives and property.

Ogele also noted that the last re-run election conducted by the third respondent in Ekiti State resulted into anarchy and chaos where scores of Ekiti State indigenes were either maimed or wounded.

But Jega dismissed these as unproven allegations and vowed never to reverse the transfer because it was done after much thought.

"Nobody requested for preferential posting. And I am glad nobody came to me because I will not have obliged," he said.

He explained that there was no malice intended in the redeployment of Mrs Adebayo assuring that the Commission will try as much as possible to make RECs comfortable in their states of assignment within available resources.