Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), addressed a stakeholders’ meeting for the upcoming Ondo State Governorship election on Thursday at the International Culture and Event Centre in Akure.
Yakubu welcomed all attendees, including police officials, political party leaders, candidates, media representatives, and other guests. He explained that such meetings are held before major elections to discuss preparations with all involved parties.
“With eight days left until the election, we have two main activities remaining: the last day of campaign on Thursday night and Election Day on Saturday, November 16,” Yakubu stated.
He highlighted the progress made so far, including voter registration and the distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs). Yakubu mentioned that detailed information about registered voters and PVCs for each polling unit is available on INEC’s website and in the information booklet provided at the meeting.
Yakubu emphasized the global interest in the Ondo State election, noting that INEC has accredited 111 organizations with 3,554 observers. Over 100 media outlets, including radio, television, and online platforms, have also been accredited, deploying around 700 journalists. He assured that accreditation cards and election duty vehicle stickers are ready for distribution.
Addressing security, Yakubu assured that the police and other security agencies have committed to ensuring a safe election environment. “We have received assurances of security from the relevant agencies, including access to voting and collation sites for observers and the media,” he said.
He also discussed the use of technology in the election, mentioning the deployment of BVAS machines for voter accreditation and result uploading. A successful mock accreditation was conducted recently, and Yakubu confirmed that separate machines will be used on Election Day to maintain the integrity of the process.
Yakubu summarized the preparations, including multiple stakeholder engagements, public information dissemination, accreditation of observers and media, and readiness assessments of local government offices. He assured that technical support and transportation arrangements are in place to handle any challenges on election day.
“We urge political parties to control their supporters and use the official accreditation tags provided by INEC to prevent impersonation and disruptions,” Yakubu urged.
He reminded attendees of the upcoming Peace Accord signing on Friday, November 8, at 10:00 AM, to be led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar. “Please honor the Peace Committee and abide by the Accord for a peaceful election,” he added.
In closing, Yakubu thanked everyone for their participation and cooperation, expressing confidence in a smooth and credible election process.
“We are ready for the election. Thank you and God bless,” he concluded.
