INEC set for by-election in Ondo State – REC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says all is set for the Akoko North-East and Akoko North-West Federal Constituency election scheduled for Feb. 3 in Ondo State.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs Olutoyin Babalola, our correspondent in Akure on Wednesday that non-sensitive materials had been received from INEC headquarters and sent to the two Local Government Areas.

Babalola, who spoke on the sideline of a two-day training for Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) at the INEC office in Akure, said that adequate number of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines had been configured for the election to hold in 329 polling units.

According to her, training will also be held for Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers later on Friday, ahead of the election.

She said that eight parties had presented candidates to contest for the federal constituency seat vacated by Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was appointed a minister by President Bola Tinubu.

The parties and their candidates include: Action Alliance – Aliyu Ajewole , All Progressives Congress (APC) – Ehindero Ifeoluwa, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) – Adesuyi Victoria Alaba and Action Peoples Party – Ajagunla Olanrewaju A.

Others are Labour Party – Abass Arisekola, New Nigeria Peoples Party – Akadiri Mukaila Olusola, Peoples Democratic Party – Olalekan Bada and the Social Democratic Party – Ogunleye Muritala Idowu.

Babalola said that adequate arrangements had been made for transportation of personnel, non-sensitive as well as sensitive materials to the polling units on the election day with adequate security cover.

The REC said that the police and other security agencies were working with the commission to ensure the peaceful conduct of the by-election in the state.

Babalola said that the commission had held sensitisation programmes to enlighten stakeholders on the by-election and implored eligible voters in the area to come out en masse to cast their votes and elect their representative for the House of Representatives.