The Ondo State electorate will troop out today to elect the new governor for the state amid a tight security provided by a team of the police, army, civil defence corps and other paramilitary security agencies.
Altogether, 17 candidates were registered by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, for the exercise which has generated nationwide interest with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu drumming for peace, decorum and civility by all the stakeholders involved before, during and after the election.
Yesterday, he appealed to politicians, INEC officials, voters, security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free, orderly, and credible election.
Altogether, 1,793,914 registered voters collected their cards from INEC to participate in the exercise.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mr. Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the leading candidates.
All the candidates registered for the poll and their parties aranged in alphabetical order are Falaiye Abraham Ajibola (A), Akinuli Fred Omolere (AA), Ajayi Adekunle Oluwaseyi (AAC), Nejo Adeyemi (ADC), and Akinnodi Ayodeji Emmanuel (ADP), Aiyedatiwa Lucky Orimisan (APC), Popoola Olatunji Tunde (APGA), Ogunfeyimi Isaac Kolawole (APM), Fadoju Amos Babatunde (APP), Ebiseni Olusola Nehemiah (LP), Olugbemiga Omogbemi Edema (NNPP), Ajaunoko Funmilayo Jenyo (NRM), Ajayi Alfred Agboola (PDP), Alli Babatunde Francis (PRP), Akingboye Benson Bamidele (SDP), Adegoke Kehinde Paul (YP), Akinmurele John Otitoloju (YPP), Mimiko Olubansile Abbas (ZLP).
In a statement in Abuja through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President stressed the importance of upholding democratic principles, as he urged all participants to respect the will of the people and approach the election with maturity and decorum.
Encouraging citizens to exercise their voting rights without fear, both during and after the election, Tinubu commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its prompt distribution of sensitive electoral materials to all the 18 local government areas in the state.
Also, he praised the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff for deploying security personnel to ensure a safe voting environment.
Tinubu said: “As the people of Ondo State prepare to choose their leader, it is crucial that we respect their right to decide their future. The privilege to govern comes from the people, and this must be honored by all candidates and political parties.”
He reiterated his commitment to the consolidation of Nigeria’s democratic progress, which has spanned over 25 years and described credible elections as vital to the nation’s stability and growth.
The President appealed to all Nigerians to see the Ondo election as an opportunity to strengthen democratic values and principles.
Also yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) removed Olusola Ebiseni, and restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus as the Labour Party candidate for the election.
This followed the judgement of the Court of Appeal which had struck out the judgement of the Federal High Court which ordered the commission to publish the name of Olusola Ebiseni as the party’s candidate.
It said: “The Commission was yesterday 14th November 2024 served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement of the Court of Appeal which set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja Division.
“The FHC, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024 had on 27th September 2024 ordered the Commission to accept Olusola Ebiseni as the candidate of the Labour Party for the 2024 Ondo State Governorship election.
“However, in the appeal with reference number CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 filed by the Labour Party, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division struck out the judgement of the FHC for lack of jurisdiction.
“In obedience to the court order, the Commission has restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, whose name was first published as the Labour Party candidate for the 2024 Ondo State Governorship election and uploaded same to our website for public information.”
There is heavy security statewide as security agencies, and INEC pledge to protect Corps members participating in the exercise.
Ondo State
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, asserted that his primary mandate is to protect all Corps members serving in all parts of the country.
To this end, the Director-General sought the assistance of all the major security agencies in Ondo State, who are members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to ensure that Corps members engaged by INEC as ad hoc staff are protected before, during, and after the governorship election.
Ahmed, who was represented by the Director of Corps Welfare and Health Services, Mr Omotade Ayodele Folorunso Benjamin, disclosed that the focus of the country is on the corps members who have answered the clarion call to serve the nation, pleading that priority should be given to the patriotic graduate youths.
Speaking separately to the heads of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the DG said that the parents and guardians of the Corps members released them on trust, and it behoves the managers of the Scheme at all levels to act in a manner suggesting that NYSC is competent to protect them.
“Inasmuch as we want to ascribe absolute security to God Almighty, we should be seen as responsible corporate bodies, and ensure that these young Nigerians are protected at all times, especially during sensitive assignments such as elections. I seek your protection for these illustrious future leaders of this great country,” he pleaded.
The DG briefed the security agencies on the level of preparedness of the Scheme towards the gubernatorial election and said that NYSC had conducted sensitisation exercises in all eighteen (18) Local Governments of the state for the 6,233 Corps members who would be engaged as ad hoc staff by INEC.
Welcoming the representative of the NYSC Director-General to his office, the Brigade Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure, Brigadier General John Rimbut Lar, disclosed that NYSC is a product of the Nigerian Army, and they would continue to oversee the security and welfare of Corps members serving in the state.
General Lar, who expressed a special regard for the Scheme, said that the protection of the nation’s territorial integrity is their primary responsibility, which includes protecting all citizens from both internal and external aggression.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, CP Abayomi Peter Oladipo, said his command was fully prepared to provide adequate security for all the personnel engaged by INEC, with a promise to keep a vigilant eye on the patriotic Corps members.
The Commissioner of Police stated that the Police Force places much value on the lives of citizens, among whom Corps members are regarded as important.
At the Command Headquarters of the Department of State Services, the State Director, Mr Muhammed Saidu Hussain, said his Command had mapped out strategic surveillance for all Registration Area Centres (RACs) and Polling Units (PUs) across the 18 LGAs.
He assured that there was no cause for alarm, asserting that his men are ready to protect the lives of everyone involved in the election.
The State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Prince Oluyemi Joshua Ibiloye, pledged his Command’s commitment to ensuring that the security of the Corps members engaged by INEC would be prioritised.
Similarly, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State, Barrister Oluwatoyin Babalola, disclosed that INEC had completed arrangements to transport all ad hoc staff and materials to the Registration Area Centres (RACs) promptly so that Corps members on election duty could have enough rest ahead of the election.
She assured NYSC of adequate security and protection for Corps members throughout the election period.
Deployed for security duties today are 22, 239 policemen, 8,500 personnel from the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Abiodun Alabi who is in the state specifically for the election pledged that the security agencies would provide a level playing ground for all parties and their candidates.
The security agencies, according to him, would “ensure that all participants and other citizens comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act of 2020 as amended and other statute laws of the Federation.
“We will render all necessary assistance to INEC officials to facilitate the discharge of their responsibilities and provide adequate contingency plans to contain any crisis that may directly or indirectly arise before, during or after the conduct of the election.”
Alabi vowed that all arrested electoral offenders would be prosecuted.
There is restriction on all vehicular movements on roads, waterways, and other means of transportation between 6am to 6pm today.
Only those on essential services, such as ambulances, media officials, fire services, and other accredited media are exempted from the restriction.
Security is tight across the state ahead of the election which appears to have been responsible for minimal pre-election violence,the only trouble being that recorded in Idanre Local Government Area, where seven members of the PDP were hospitalized after they were reportedly attacked by suspected thugs.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that 1,793,914 of the 2,053,061 registered voters in the state are eligible to vote today.
This figure is 315,454 more than the 1,478,460 that were eligible in the 2020 poll.
Sensitive materials for the election were distributed to the local government areas under heavy security and closely monitored by party agents.
Why there may be voters apathy, says CDD
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD- West Africa) expressed fear yesterday that there might not be a high turnout of voters in today’s election as only 85.6 percent of registered voters collected permanent voters’ cards.
Chairman, CDD Election Analysis Centre, Prof Adele Jinadu Garuba, told reporters in Akure that voters in Ondo North and Ondo Central may not vote much as the two leading candidates –Aiyedatiwa and Ajayi- are from the same Ondo South zone.
Prof. Garuba noted that sentiments around certain politicians and individuals in the state would play a role on how the election would be won or lost.
Garuba said respondents in the group’s pre-assessment visit expressed fears of violence in Akure South, Owo, Idanre and Akoko South East.
He said candidates in the Ondo election weaponised information against each other and targeted key institutions like INEC.
“These attacks often exploit existing biases, fuelling division and distrust among the electorate,” he said.
“Voter apathy is dangerous for democracy. It leads to a lack of accountability, increased disillusionment and can allow resentment and insecurity to fester.”
Akeredolu family disowns brother’s endorsement of SDP candidate
The family of the late Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday clarified their position on the reported endorsement of the Social Democratic Party candidate, Mr Bamidele Akingboye, by Olufemi Akeredolu.
They said no principal member of the family has endorsed the SDP candidate.
Head of the family, Professor Oluwole Akeredolu, said in a statement that Olufemi’s endorsement of Akingboye does not in any way represent the family’s position.
Said he: “For the avoidance of doubt, Professor Oluwole Akeredolu (the immediate younger brother of the recently departed Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu) is the head of the Akeredolu Family and solely authorised to speak on behalf of the Family. Neither he nor any of the principal members of the Family has declared support for the SDP. The Akeredolu Family has not declared any such support.
“We are not unaware of the activities of Olufemi Akeredolu (the youngest of the brothers of the immediate past Governor of Ondo State) and his association with the SDP. He is an adult, an individual with an inalienable right to freedom of association. He does not speak for the Family, neither is he authorised to do so.”
