The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to allow critical stakeholders including political parties to inspect sensitive electoral materials before the commencement of the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.
The Chairman of the electoral umpire, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu promised to be transparent in the distribution and inspection of sensitive materials in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo state.
The INEC Chairman who made this on Tuesday when he visited Local Government offices of the commission, assured the people of a transparent, free, and fair election.
Yakubu said he was in the state to assess the level of preparedness ahead of the election, and said he came to the state to see things for himself and to meet with stakeholders to have a peaceful, free, fair, and credible election.
He expressed the commission’s readiness for the governorship election.
According to him, the commission is very much prepared for the election, disclosing that sensitive materials for the state’s forthcoming election will arrive next week Tuesday.
Yakubu said the inspection of the materials by major stakeholders will commence on Wednesday before it will be moved to Local Government Areas on Thursday.
He said, “With 10 days to election, the level of preparedness is very impressive. Very rarely will you find the commission this prepared before the election; that is why I have been going around Local Governments to see if they have everything they are supposed to have at this point.
“The only thing remaining is the sensitive materials which will arrive on Tuesday next week. On Wednesday, there will be an inspection of the sensitive materials by all parties, candidates, observers, security agencies, media houses, and personnel in the commission, among others.
“On Thursday, we will commence the movement of the materials to LG, beginning with the farthest to the nearest.
“There will be the same inspection in the Local Government before we move it to the RAC center, and on Saturday morning, the election will commence.”
The INEC boss visited the Akure North Local Government electoral office in Iju Ita-Ogbolu, where the Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Dije Mustapha, explained that they are 85 percent prepared for the election.
She noted that the arrival of sensitive materials is what they are waiting for. She said “We are very prepared. We are like 85% ready, the only thing we are waiting for is the sensitive materials,l.”
The Electoral Commissioner of Akure South, Ezekiel Oyediran, also acknowledged that they have received almost all the required non-sensitive materials for the election and have been batched into registration areas and polling units.
According to him, “Currently, we have received almost all the required non-sensitive materials for the election, and they have been batched into Registration Areas and Polling Unit.
“In conclusion, we are fully ready to conduct a free, fair, credible, inclusive, and conclusive election in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election.”
