Ondo poll: Police to deploy 22,239 officers, warn political thugs

• Sensitive materials to arrive next Tuesday, says INEC
• CSOs fault call for redeployment of REC
• Court dismisses suit challenging Edema’s status as NNPP’s candidate

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has said that 22,239 police personnel would be deployed to Ondo State for next Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Egbetokun, who disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akure, yesterday, said that the success of any important process like the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State depends on peace, order and security.

The IGP, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7, Abiodun Olabisi, stressed that a breach of the peace or security could surely scuttle the success expected in the exercise, urging the stakeholders to discharge their duties with security-conscious approaches.

The police boss, therefore, urged political parties, contesting candidates and their agents to conduct themselves peacefully and lawfully in line with global best practices of democracy.
On his part, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that sensitive election materials would arrive in the state next week Tuesday.

Yakubu, who disclosed that the mock accreditation in 12 polling units across six local councils in the three senatorial districts of the state was successful, clarified that machines used for the mock accreditation and the training of officials would not be used on Election Day.

However, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Ondo State, yesterday, faulted the call for the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
The coalition, led by its Chairman, Franklin Oloniju, while addressing newsmen on the issue, expressed concern over the activities of some political actors and leaders in the state.

In another development, an Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, has dismissed the suit challenging the candidature of Gbenga Edema as the standard-bearer of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the governorship election in the state.

The court, presided by Justice Akintan Osadabay, declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by a factional candidate of the party, Michael Akintan, and his deputy, Kemi Fasua, against the emergence of Edema as the candidate of the party.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Monday Ojore Mawah, are seeking the court’s judgment on whether the third plaintiff is required to submit the register of members to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not later than 30 days before the party’s primary, held on April 26, 2024.

They also asked whether the defendant, whose name does not appear in the submitted register of the third plaintiff, could validly claim membership of the party as of the primary date.
The claimants, therefore, sought injunctive and declarative reliefs, including a perpetual injunction, to restrain Edema from presenting himself as a member of the candidate of the NNPP in Ondo State for the election.

But the defendants, through their lawyer, Rotimi Olorunfemi, asked the court to dismiss or strike out the suit for constituting a gross abuse of the court process, saying that the suit was supposed to be filed at the Federal High Court.

In her ruling, Justice Osadabay struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.
She said since the case fell within the pre-election matter; it is only the Federal High Court that has jurisdiction to entertain the case. She subsequently awarded N100,000 against the claimants.