Accreditation Complete: INEC Ready for Ondo Governorship Election

INEC Deploys 3,554 Observers, Accredits 111 Groups for Ondo Governorship

“Accreditation tags have been produced for all your agents bearing their names, photographs and...”

INEC accredits 111 organizations and deploys 3,554 observers for Ondo State governorship election, ensuring transparency and fairness in the electoral process.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is gearing up for the Ondo State governorship election on November 16. To ensure transparency and fairness, INEC has accredited 111 domestic and international organizations to observe the election. These organizations will deploy a total of 3,554 observers across the state.

INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu announced this development during a stakeholders' meeting in Akure. He emphasized the collaborative nature of the electoral process, saying, “As you are aware, an election is a multi-stakeholder activity. INEC has a role to play and we have done so always in consultation with stakeholders.”

Yakubu also appealed to political parties to prevent their supporters from engaging in disruptive activities that could compromise the election's integrity. By working together, INEC and stakeholders can ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process.

It's worth noting that this isn't the first time INEC has accredited observer groups for governorship elections. Earlier this year, they accredited 134 observer groups for the Edo and Ondo elections. This demonstrates INEC's commitment to transparency and accountability in Nigeria's electoral process.

“Accreditation tags have been produced for all your agents bearing their names, photographs and location of deployment,” he said.

“We have also added a QR code to the tags that can be read even from mobile phone applications.

“We have also accredited over 100 radio, television, newspaper and online media organisations, deploying about 700 personnel, including 129 female journalists, the largest number for any off-cycle governorship election in Nigeria.

“We have also accredited thousands of agents representing candidates and political parties for all the polling and collation locations across the state.”

INEC Chairman Yakubu has confirmed that accreditation cards are ready for all stakeholders in the upcoming Ondo governorship election. The state office in Akure will soon distribute accreditation tags and election duty vehicle stickers, ensuring a smooth and organized process.

Professor Kunle Ajayi, Supervising National Commissioner for Ondo, Oyo, and Osun states, emphasized the importance of ethical conduct among political parties and candidates. He urged them to demonstrate the highest level of decorum and responsibility, promoting a peaceful electoral environment. This appeal aligns with INEC's efforts to ensure a transparent and efficient voting experience, as seen in their recent mock accreditation exercise. By working together, stakeholders can support the integrity of the election process and foster a positive outcome for the people of Ondo State.

He said: “This election is a collective endeavour. The future of Ondo State and the credibility of our electoral process rests in our hands.

“The eyes of the nation will be on Ondo State come November 16. Let us make this election a positive example of what is possible when we come together with a shared commitment to democracy.”