As Ondo State readies for its off-cycle governorship election on Saturday, President Bola Tinubu on Friday, called on all political stakeholders and the electorate to uphold peace and decorum and fulfil their civic responsibilities without fear before or after the poll.
This is as in a last minute change based on a court order, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) replaced the Labour Party candidate, Olusola Ebiseni with Dr. Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus.
The President, in a statement issued by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said he anticipated a democratic process in the state that will genuinely reflect the people’s will and power to freely choose their leaders.
A total of 1, 757,205 residents of Ondo State are expected to head to the polls today to choose a governor who would rule the state for another four years.
Ondo is one of the eight states that conduct off-cycle governorship elections, which fall outside the usual general election and has successfully conducted it in 2012, 2016, and 2020, with the next one scheduled for November 16, 2024.
Specifically, 18 political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are on the ballot but 17 parties are fielding candidates in today’s poll.
They include the incumbent governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the APC; former deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi of the PDP, Olugbenga Edema of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Dr. Abbas Mimiko, younger brother of the former governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Otitoloju Akinmurele of Young Progressives Party, among others.
However, there are only two main contestants and analysts have predicted the poll will largely be a two-horse race. The two parties are the ruling APC and PDP with Aiyedatiwa and Ajayi and both candidates have expressed their readiness for the election.
Interestingly, the winner would occupy Alagbaka Government House after the expiration of the current dispensation on February 25, 2025.
Furthermore, President Tinubu commended INEC for its diligent preparations for the election, particularly its timely distribution of sensitive materials across 18 local government areas in the state.
He also acknowledged the deployment of security men to maintain law and order and appreciated the assurances from the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa that the personnel will act professionally and adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act to ensure a credible electoral process.
Tinubu reminded all political stakeholders, especially the candidates, that the people bestow the privilege to govern, and this right must be respected and not undermined.
He emphasised that it was in the best interest of all Nigerians to ensure a free and fair election and consolidate the nation’s over 25 years of democratic governance.
Meanwhile, the major battleground would be in Ondo south where all the 17 candidates hail from.
Besides, there are 3,933 polling units and 222 collation centres, consisting of 203 ward centres, 18 Local government areas and the state collation centre in Akure.
More importantly, INEC recorded 2,053,061 registered voters ahead of the poll. However, 1, 757,205 people collected their PVCs representing 86.5 per cent leaving 205,856 PVCs uncollected.
Also, political parties participating in the election nominated 24,148 polling and collation agents out of the expected cumulative figure of 74,790 agents. While three political parties have no agents at all polling and collation levels.
The electoral body said this means the political parties nominated 32.3 per cent of the expected number of agents.
Citing Court Order, INEC Replaces Ebiseni with Ayodele as LP Candidate
In a last-minute change based on a court order, INEC on Friday replaced the Labour Party candidate, Olusola Ebiseni with Dr. Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus.
INEC said the replacement was done after it was served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling of the Court of Appeal which set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. This was contained in a statement on X handle of the commission on Friday.
The federal high court, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024, had on September 27, 2024, ordered INEC to accept Olusola Ebiseni as the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) 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 judgment of the FHC for lack of jurisdiction.
“In obedience to the court order, the commission therefore 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,” the statement said.
Speaking on the development, the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, said Ebiseni was the candidate produced by the NLC group in the party, but that the Appeal Court had kicked him out while restoring the valid candidate, Olorunfemi
Security Beefed Up in Ondo
According to the Inspector General of Police, Egbetokun, the Police deployed a total of 34,657 personnel to the polling units, wards/LGA collation centers as well as other strategic locations.
This is aside the provision of enough Armoured Personnel Carrier (APCs), trucks, patrol vehicles, buses for covert operations, ambulances, helicopters, drones, K9 and anti-riot equipment to complement the strength of Ondo State Command.
The IGP, said “It is expected that four Police personnel will be deployed at each polling unit, which then implies that 15,732 conventional police personnel will be required for the 3,933 polling units and voting points in the State.
“This will be complemented by the Armed Forces, the Intelligence Security Agencies and other sister Security Agencies. A total of 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 will be deployed to augment the Police strength. This will bring the total number of security personnel deployed for the election to 43,157”.
Also, security has been beefed up at the state headquarters of INEC at Alagbaka in Akure, the state capital.
THISDAY observed on Friday morning that personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Army, Department of State Services, were heavily deployed at the INEC office to maintain peace and order.
Specifically, heavily armed security personnel in their patrol vehicles were observed at strategic positions at the entrance gate and major road leading to the INEC state office. Aside from the mounted roadblocks at the main roads leading to the office, some of the security personnel were also seen with sniffer dogs in and around the premises of the office. Also, persons coming into the office were searched at the gate and given tags for identification.
Egbetokun had said he will deploy a total of 34,657 personnel to the polling units, wards/LGA collation centers as well as other strategic locations.
According to him, “It is expected that Four (4) Police personnel will be deployed at each polling unit, which then implies that 15,732 conventional police personnel will be required for the 3,933 polling units and voting points in the State.
“This will be complemented by the Armed Forces, the Intelligence Security Agencies and other sister Security Agencies. A total of 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 will be deployed to augment the Police strength. This will bring the total number of security personnel deployed for the election to 43,157”.
Also, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Charge of South West, Sylvester Abiodun while briefing Journalists in Akure said conventional police officers and tactical elements of the Force comprising the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Explosive Ordinance unit (EOD-CBRT) and the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) were already on ground.
“These units will be supported by the operatives from the Force Criminal and Investigation Department (FCID), Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) and the Intelligence Response Unit (IRT).
“A comprehensive threat analysis of the eight Area Commands and fifty-four (54) Divisional Police Headquarters under Ondo State Police Command was undertaken to identify flash points and the attendant risks posed by individuals and groups before, during and after the election,” he further explained.
He stressed that the force was resolutely committed to providing level playing ground for all contesting candidates irrespective of party affiliation or status and ensuring secured environment for successful and peaceful conduct of elections throughout the state.
“There will be close monitoring of collation of results at all levels and where necessary, promptly attend to any plan to tamper with results or any fraud affecting it,” he assured.
In a related development, the Police yesterday said that they have continued to scale up their preparations and strategies, reinforcing adequate security measures to ensure a smooth run of the electoral process in Ondo State.
A statement by Force Spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi reiterated the ban on the use of siren, covered number plates, aides and escorts during the elections.
This was as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Musa visited Ondo State to assess the readiness of troops and other security agencies that will support the conduct of the elections in the state today.
The Police Spokesperson said that the DIG in charge of Ondo elections, DIG Sylvester Alabi ordered the immediate deployment of CPs assigned for election duties to their designated Local Government Areas.
Speaking on the issue of ‘Cash for Vote”, the CDS directed all security agencies to support to the EFCC, adding, “Once we see such, we should report to the relevant agency”.
The CDS also took time to address the troops of Operation Safe Conduct, Ondo State who are on standby for deployment to various sectors where the election will take place.
Also, the Deputy Commandant General in charge of operations, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ayuba Philips has warned all men and officers of the corps to distance themselves from any form of action that could undermine the off-circle gubernatorial election.
Ayuba dropped the warning yesterday while addressing newsmen at the state headquarters of the formation in Akure, Ondo State capital on the preparedness of the formation for the election. He noted that any men or officers of the formation found culpable of any action seen to have compromised the process of the election would be dismissed from service.
He assured electorates in Ondo State that the formation was fully ready to checkmate anyone planning to undermine the peaceful conduct of the November 16 off-circle gubernatorial election.
According to him, all the men and officers of the formation are fully prepared and those drawn from outside Ondo State have arrived for the poll.
Phillips said, “We want the people to trust us and also believe in us, that we shall give them the best and nothing but the best. However, let me just say, from the authority of the civil defense. We don’t condone any act of unprofessionalism from any of our officers and men.
“Anybody who decides to commit any atrocity, I think he is asking himself to be out of the system. We shall not leave anybody. Once you commit, you should know your way is out.”
Deji Elumoye, Linus Aleke and Fidelis David
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