By Mayowa Olumuyiwa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday 5th October, held a election stakeholders meeting at the Dome Event center in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The meeting, which started at 1:52pm with the recitation of the second stanza of the national anthem, witnessed several stakeholders in attendance among which are the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director General of The National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Police and others.
The first address was given by the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ambassador Rufus Akeju.
According to him, the number of Registered voters in Ondo State so far is 1,822,346 while the number of Cards distributed for expected voters is 1,478,460. He further added that the Commission will deploy sensitive materials to be used for the exercise will arrive on Thursday to the Akure office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
While giving the electoral guidelines, the Chairman noted that the voting hours will be from 8:30am to 2:30pm on Saturday.
He however reiterated the Covid-19 protocols to be observed among other measures. One of such is the avoidance of the use of branded face masks.
Next was the National Commissioner in charge of Ondo State, Dr. Ladipo Ogunmola, whose short and concise speech charged the people of the state and other stakeholders to uphold every detail given for the conduct of the poll, noting that the international communities are also watching keenly as events unfold on the election day.
The INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in his speech also noted that the commission is ready for the Ondo Poll. He listed the areas of preparedness of the commission to include rapid response personnel put in place in order to respond to issues of vote buying and other electoral crimes during the exercise.
He also stressed the position of INEC to ensure that only the voters will determine who becomes the next governor of the state.
According to his statement, “The Commission is resolved that no one will benefit from immunity. The people of Ondo State must be allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice.”
He noted that the Commission’s staff will not conduct the election but strictly monitor the conduct of the poll as it has set up its situation room for the exercise.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in his speech noted that the Police Force as part of its preparedness had deployed 33,783 Police personnel across the 203 wards in the state.
According to him, the rationale for the deployment is purposeful in order to also to deny those with ignoble threats to scuttle the process.
The IGP further sounded a note of warning that persons caught in any act of sabotaging the electoral process will face the wrath of the law no matter the class, status or political affiliation.
He added that the Police is well prepared to act accordingly. “No one is allowed to move around during the elections except personnel working for the purpose of the election as accredited by the INEC.”
The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shaibu Ibrahim, while delivering his goodwill message, applauded the INEC for a record of successful poll as witnessed in the just concluded Edo State election.
He also commended the Commission’s effort at employing the service of Corp members and for the confidence reposed in them over the years.
The event ended with feedbacks from political party representatives in attendance.
