…As INEC deploys 29,504 ad-hoc staff, security personnel
Residents of Ondo State will on November 16, 2024, exercise their franchise by voting candidates and political parties of their choice in the off-cycle governorship election.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 18 political parties will be participating in the election with each having a governorship and deputy candidates.
Among the governorship candidates and their running mates include People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi, running mate, Samuel Ogunmusi; All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, running mate, Olayide Adelami; Labour Party (LP) candidate, Ebeseni Nehemiah, running mate, Awude Ezekiel; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Olugbenga Edemi, running mate, Rotimi Adeyemi; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Akingboye Bamidele, running mate, Sekoni Gbemisola.
Others are Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Abbas Mimiko, running mate, Afolabi Gabriel; African Action Congress (AAC), Ajayi Oluwaseyi, and running mate, Dada David.
The incumbent Governor, Aiyedatiwa, a former commissioner of Niger Delta Development Commission, seeks re-election in office after taking over following the demise of Rotimi Akeredolu.
The candidate of the PDP, Ajayi, a former House of Representatives member, also served as the deputy governor during Akeredolu’s first term in office.
The duo’s previous positions and coming from the same senatorial district, Ondo South, according to political analysts and residents, stand as stronghold and influence for them – two former deputy governors contesting for top seat in the state.
The LP, APC and PDP in the state, just like in the just-concluded Edo State governorship election, have been focused on.
Amongst other factors, analysts have expressed that the victory in the election between the duo would be determined by the people and state of their political parties.
The LP seen as the third force emerged with Peter Obi becoming the party candidate in 2023 presidential election.
“However, since the election, the party has been making efforts for more and better recognition in the country, which may have become more challenging due to the party’s internal crisis,” a political analyst, Adebimpe Hassan, said.
Another political expert, Kolawole Joshua, noted that the current economic situation of the country steered by the ruling APC may affect the chances of the party in the election.
“The current economic situation and high cost of living reflect in every part of the state and this may affect the victory of the APC in the forthcoming election,” Joshua said.
He added that the APC and PDP candidates coming from the same senatorial district would affect their votes in the district.
According to him, the emergence of the APC in Edo State “may be connected to some fracas by the opposition with certain individuals and of influence in the state.”
The PDP in the state, according to Segun Babalola, a political and public affairs analyst, may be affected by some internal crisis in the party.
Read also:2024 Governorship Poll: I’m contesting to reconfigure Ondo state, says Akinfolarin
Babalola, who corroborated Joshua that the emergence of the APC and PDP from the same district may affect their victory in the district, noted that if the internal wrangling in the PDP is not resolved, it may may affect the party.
“The internal crisis of the PDP which is the major opposition party in the election may affect its performance at the poll if not addressed,” he said.
The analysts, however, urged the INEC to abide with its principle of transparency, fairness and free conduct of election.
INEC, earlier stated it would deploy 17,705 ad hoc staff, 11,799 security personnel to the state ahead of the election.
To ensure a prompt election process, the apex electoral body noted that Permanent Voters Card have been printed for all registrants and delivered to the commission’s state office in Akure, the state capital, for collection beginning from October 17.
“A total of 89,777 new PVCs from the recent CVR were printed. This is made up of 58,708 new voters, and 31,069 applicants for transfers, updates and replacement of lost and damaged PVCs.
“The PVCs for all categories of applicants will be available for collection in 221 centres across the State at two levels. First, in all the 203 Wards from Thursday 17th to Monday 21st October 2024.
“Secondly, in our 18 LGA offices from Wednesday 23rd to Tuesday 29th October 2024 from 9.00am to 5.00pm daily (including the weekends),” Sam Olumekun, the INEC national commissioner and chair of the information and voter education committee said.
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