INEC announces 19 political parties to participate in Ondo guber election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has disclosed that 19 political parties have notified the commission about the conduct of their primaries for the Ondo State governorship election.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the state, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, stated this during a meeting with the representatives of political parties at the Commission’s office in Akure, the state capital.

The governorship election, according to INEC’s timetable, will take place on November 16, 2024, in the state.

Babalola stated that the political parties that have notified INEC include the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Accord Party, Action Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, ADC, African Democratic Party, ADP, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Others are the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party, Boot Party, Labour Party, LP, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, National Rescue Movement, Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Social Democratic Party, SDP, Youth Party, Young Progressives Party, YPP, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.

The REC noted that the commission received notification from the political parties for the conduct of primaries for the governorship election exercise billed to commence from April 6 to 27.

She said the meeting was an opportunity to engage with political parties, stressing that the role of political parties in ensuring the success and integrity of the process cannot be overlooked.

Babalola urged all parties to adhere strictly to the guidelines, rules, and regulations set forth in their constitutions as well as all electoral laws in the conduct of the primaries next month.

While advising parties to entrench the principle of internal democracy in the conduct of their primaries to reduce tension, division, and pre-eelection cases that may arise after the conduct of the primaries, the REC charged them to ensure that their primaries are conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and transparent manner to ensure the credibility of the outcomes.