Ondo guber poll: INEC administers oath of neutrality to ad-hoc staff, security operatives

• Says PVCs collection begins Thursday, 295,603 uncollected
• Releases voter’s register to political parties
• Aiyedatiwa vows to dualise Akungba-Akoko Road, construct overhead bridge

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that an oath of neutrality will be administered to no fewer than 17,705 ad-hoc staff and 11,799 security personnel to guide against partiality during the forthcoming off-cycle November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Oluwatoyin Babalola, who disclosed this, yesterday, during a media briefing at the state headquarters of the commission in Akure, the state capital, said that training of the security personnel had commenced.

According to her, 295,603 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remain uncollected in the state with an appeal to the prospective electorate to visit the designated centres to exercise their franchise.

Babalola, who said that the Commission would present the updated register to political parties today, October 15, 2024, at the INEC Conference Room in Akure, starting at 9:00 a.m., maintained that the electoral body was fully committed to conducting a credible, transparent, and inclusive election in the state.

However, INEC has announced that the collection of the PVCs by registered voters will commence on Thursday, October 17, 2024. National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, announced this in a statement, yesterday.

According to the statement, a total of 89,777 new PVCs were printed and delivered to INEC’s state office in Akure. This includes 58,708 new voters and 31,069 individuals who applied for transfers, updates, or replacements of lost and damaged PVCs.

“During the period, the backlog of uncollected PVCs from previous registrations will also be available for collection at the designated centres,” the statement read in part.

The commission urged all registered voters to pick up their PVCs in person, reiterating that collection by proxy is not allowed.

MEANWHILE, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has assured the people of Akungba-Akoko in Akoko South West Local Council of the state that the major road in the university community will be dualised and that an overhead bridge will be constructed to curb the incessant fatal accidents in the town.

He said this, yesterday, during an interaction with market women and youths of the community on his way from his senatorial campaign rally at Ikare-Akoko in Akoko North East Local Council.

The governor, who said that his administration had no plan to dismantle the barricades preventing articulated vehicles on the highway, said his administration had in the last few months considered various options before settling for the dualisation of the road and the overhead bridge.

Also, the Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami, who is also Aiyedatiwa’s running mate, while addressing the rally, stressed the importance of continuity in governance.