The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that over two million voters will be participating in the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.

The figure, it said, would determine the fate of 17 governorship candidates of the political parties participating in the election.The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Toyin Babalola, disclosed this in Akure, yesterday, during a seminar organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) and funded by the European Union (EU).

The programme was part of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGNII) project, with IPC serving as the lead partner under Component 4, which focuses on support to the media.

Babalola also promised that the commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing (IReV) during the election, adding that the portal for media registration for the election had opened.

Also speaking, the commission’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dr Temitope Akanmu, said the electoral umpire would ensure the use of BVAS and IREV during the election to ensure a free and fair poll.

In his welcome address, IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, emphasised the essential role of the media in promoting electoral integrity. Arogundade noted that elections are the cornerstone of democratic societies, highlighting the importance of capacity training for journalists in preparation for election coverage.

He said that the dialogue aimed to foster collaboration among critical stakeholders, ensuring that the media remains fair, accurate, ethical, and professional in covering the Ondo State elections.

A Senior lecturer at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Dr Tunde Fajimbola, spoke on the media’s role in addressing key issues in the governorship elections. The Founder of the Journalism Clinic, Taiwo Obe, guided participants on asking the right questions and telling impactful stories during electoral coverage.

In his remarks, CEMESO Executive Director, Dr Akin Akingbulu, noted that off-cycle elections are a significant feature of Nigeria’s electoral calendar, stressing the need for journalists to be well-equipped to contribute to credible electoral processes. The State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Leke Adegbite, commended IPC for its efforts in building journalists’ capacity through training.