INEC declares readiness for ‘perfect’ guber election in Ondo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed all will be done in its capacity to ensure that a perfect election will be conducted during the November 16 governorship poll in Ondo State.

While assuring the people of the state of the electoral body’s determination to ensure a flawless exercise, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, at the weekend, emphasised that factors that could undermine the poll had been identified.

The REC, who revealed that a large number of non-sensitive materials had been received and deployed to the 18 council areas of the state, maintained that Registration Area Technical Support Staff (RATECH) will be drafted to all Registration Areas (RAs) to provide technical assistance in case of any issue with the functioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) that will be deployed across the 3,933 polling units in the state.

Babalola empathised that trouble spots have been identified by the commission, stressing that the menace of voter trading would be severely dealt with, particularly with the assurances given by anti-graft bodies.

She said: “We will be the ones that will be waiting for voters; it won’t be the other way around. Who wants to stay in a place for a whole day? Under a tree, there is no umbrella, and it may even be raining.

“One of the key solutions to voter apathy is the early opening of the poll, and we are trying everything within our power. We have also been partnering with NOA to carry out their own voter sensitisation. We have been engaging with the youth.

“We want to assure the people of Ondo State that every vote will count. We encourage voters to stay back after voting if they can to see what is going on. Know the score in your polling unit. Register on IREV, and when you get home, go and check what is on IREV and crosscheck with the result of your polling unit.

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“What we can do about vote-buying is to keep sensitising the people. We keep telling them not to sell their future for a pot of soup. We encourage people to listen to the campaign of every candidate, read through their manifestos, and know what they have to offer so that you can make an informed choice.

“In our Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security, we have ICPC and EFCC. They have assured us that they have structures in place to prevent and arrest vote sellers and the buyers.

“We are working assiduously with security operatives, and they have shown us tremendous support. As far back as April, we identified flashpoints in the state, and we shared it with them. We already know areas where there are kidnappings and thuggery, among others. All our EOs identified all those places.”

The REC noted that “After the successful conclusion of the CVR exercise, 58,708 new voters were registered. In addition, 3,132 voters transferred their registration into Ondo State, while 123 voters transferred their registration out of Ondo State. The harmonised total number. of new registered voters with the old registered voters is now 2,053,061.

“As we await the commencement of the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), from the CVR exercise we urge all registered voters in the previous registration exercise who are yet to collect their PVCs to do so, as this process is ongoing at our LGA offices. We shall simplify the collection process and establish PVC collection centres in all registration areas (RA) and in the local government areas for ease of access.

“May I emphasise that we have maintained a strong and cordial relationship with political parties, civil society organisations, and community leaders to ensure a peaceful and credible election? Our doors are opened for continuous engagement, dialogue, and consultations.”