Ondo Guber 2024: INEC Solicits Stakeholders Support for A credible Poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is ready for the Ondo State Governorship election holding on Saturday 16th November, its Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu has assured. But has solicited the support of all stakeholders for the conduct of a credible poll.

He spoke at a Stakeholders’ Meeting, which held at the Dome in Akure, Ondo State on Thursday 7th November where he affirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed for voter accreditation at the polling units and for the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. He said the Commission has accredited 111 domestic and international organisations deploying 3,554 as observers, and over one hundred media organisations deploying seven hundred personnel including 129 female journalists. All accreditation tags and election duty vehicle stickers are ready and will be available for collection at the INEC State office in Akure.

The INEC Chairman stated that only two activities remain before Election Day: the last day of campaign which ends at midnight on Thursday, November 14, and the election itself.

On pre-election activities undertaken by the Commission, Prof. Yakubu told the stakeholders that INEC carried out voter registration and and made Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) available for collection. In addition, detailed information on the number of collected and uncollected PVCs across the State’s 3,933 polling units is now available on the INEC website, enabling voters to confirm their status and polling locations.

He provided an overview of the 2,053,061 registered voters across the state, including a demographic breakdown by local government area, gender, age, occupation, and disability status. He also confirmed the availability of a comprehensive list of candidates, including those added by court orders, ensuring transparency and compliance with the law.

Prof. Yakubu disclosed that the Commission, in collaboration with security and law enforcement agencies, has put comprehensive security measures in place to safeguard voters, INEC staff, observers, and media personnel across all polling and collation centers. According to him, the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant agencies have provided assurances of a secure environment to enable unimpeded access for all those involved in the electoral process.

On the deployment of technology for the election, the INEC Chairman said a mock accreditation conducted across 12 polling units within six local government areas to test run the efficacy of the BVAS machines was successful, reinforcing the system’s reliability. Results of the exercise have been uploaded to the IReV portal.

To avoid impersonation, Prof. Yakubu cautioned against the use of unverified party tags, urging compliance with INEC’s identification protocol to prevent unnecessary conflicts at polling locations.

He reminded stakeholders of the signing of the Peace Accord scheduled for 8th November at 10:00 a.m. at The Dome. Former Head of State and Chairman, National Peace Committee (NPC) will preside over the ceremony which aims at reinforcing the commitment of all candidates to peaceful elections.

The Supervising National Commissioner for Ondo, Ogun and Osun States, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, commended civil society groups, traditional rulers, and religious leaders for promoting peace and discouraging political violence, especially among the youths. According to him, a credible election requires collaboration across political, social, and security sectors.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ondo State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, detailed critical logistical preparations put in place, such as the arrival of sensitive election materials on November 12 and the ongoing training of election duty staff. She also acknowledged the support of transport unions, which she said would facilitate the efficient distribution of personnel and materials to polling units on Election Day.

She reported that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise has successfully expanded the electorate, bringing the total number of registered voters to 2,053,061. During the recently concluded Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise, a total of 64,273 PVCs were collected by the voters.

The REC also assured stakeholders that the BVAS devices have been fully charged, configured, and ready for deployment. Some 4,002 BVAS units will be deployed for the election, with additional 812 units set aside as backup.

She disclosed that the Commission has also focused on extensive voter education, utilizing multiple media channels to raise awareness and ensure public understanding of the voting process. All non-sensitive materials for the election have been sorted, batched, and dispatched to the 18 Local Government Areas, ready for election-day distribution to polling units. All Registration Area Centers (RACs) are also fully prepared to accommodate all ad-hoc staff, with provision made for their comfort during pre-election preparations.

The REC added that the training for Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) was concluded on 3rd November, while further training for Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) will run from 8th to 10th November.

The Nigeria Police, in collaboration with other security agencies, also announced robust plans to secure the election environment. A total of 22,239 police officers will be deployed throughout the state, complemented by additional personnel from sister security agencies. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone 17,  Abiodun Oladimeji Asabi, stressed the importance of maintaining peace, urging political parties and supporters to refrain from disruptive conduct.

He said: “Security will be watertight around polling stations and public areas. The concerted efforts of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies will ensure the safety of voters, electoral officials, and materials throughout the election period.”

IGP Egbetokun encouraged media and observers to report responsibly, avoiding incendiary coverage that could jeopardize the election’s peaceful conduct. He also underscored the security agencies’ commitment to neutrality and professional conduct to support a free and fair electoral process