It’s principally a three-way race among the candidates of the Labour Party, Action Congress of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party as the people of Ondo State go to the polls today to elect a new governor.
After months of preparations, campaigning and politicking, one among the incumbent, Olusegun Mimiko (LP); Rotimi Akeredolu (ACN); and Olusola Oke (PDP) will be elected the governor of the state in an exercise to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
While Mimiko’s running mate is Alhaji Ali Olanusi, Akeredolu has Dr. Paul Akintelure, and Oke has Mr. Saka Lawal.
There are several other parties fielding candidates in the election, though they are seen as the minor contestants in today’s high profile ballot. The list includes the Allied Congress Party with Mr. Adeuti Taye as the candidate and Tolupe Clement as his running mate.
The All Nigeria Peoples Party has Mr. Adeyemi Bolarinwa as the governorship candidate and Ikwuewumi Rotimi is listed as his running mate, while Mr. Ayodele Olusegun is named as the governorship candidate of the Better Nigeria Progressive Party with Mrs. Ijitola Modupe as his running mate.
The Change Advocacy Party has Mr. Omoyele Olorunwa as its candidate and Mr. Babatunde Bidemi as his running mate.
The son of a former senator, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, is the governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, with Mrs Oluyemi Damilola as his running mate.
The National Conscience Party has Mr. Oladipo Lawrence as its candidate, while Mrs. Ogbetor Benedicta is his running mate.
The rest are Mr. Abikanlu Olusola and Adefila Olusegun Cornelious as the candidate and running mate respectively of the National Solidarity Democratic Party, while the duo of Victor Adetusin and Mr. Moses Iorsheer are on the list for the People for Democratic Change.
INEC also cleared Mr. Omoregha Olatunji as candidate of the Progressive People Alliance with Alonge Ahmed named as his running mate.
A critical assessment of the parties cleared for the poll shows that the LP, the ACN, and the PDP exhibit the highest sense of seriousness and commitment than the others in the bid for the Alagbaka Government House presently occupied by Mimiko, who got there through a court decision that ousted Olusegun Agagu of the PDP in 2008.
INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, at the final stakeholders’ forum held in the state capital, Akure, on Wednesday, gave an assurance that the election would be the best in the history of the nation.
Jega told representatives of the various political parties, the candidates, security agencies, the media and other stakeholders that today’s poll would be hitch free and be better conducted than that of the widely acclaimed Edo State governorship ballot earlier this year.
The INEC chairman said he was satisfied with the preparations of the electoral body for the poll, adding that the officials of the commission would be impartial in the discharge of their duties.
He advised members of the National Youth Service Corps who would be engaged for the election to serve the nation with integrity. He warned that any members who involved themselves in malpractice of any kind would be charged to court.
Jega said that voters without (voter) cards should stay away from the polling units, adding that nobody would be allowed to vote without a voter card.
He said that those who wanted to stay back after casting their votes would be allowed, but “they must be orderly in their conduct.”
“We’ve done our best in discharging our duties although the task has been demanding and challenging. We’ve not been perfect. We’ve raised the bar and the challenge now is not to lower the bar but to increase it,” Jega said.
“We’re committed to ensuring that Ondo election will be the best we have conducted. We’re calling on all of you to give us the necessary support. We’re non-partisan; our officials know their responsibilities and we will do our best.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, who was also at the forum, said that security agencies would begin to restrict movement into Ondo State to ensure that the poll was violence free.
Abubakar said that restriction of movement into the state would start from 6 pm on Thursday to 6 am on Friday, while the second phase would start by 6 pm on Friday till 8 pm on Saturday.
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Conduct urself in an orderly manner and cast ur vote please.
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