President Bola Tinubu has asked political stakeholders and voters to ensure a peaceful, orderly, and credible electoral process as Ondo State residents troop to the polling centres on Saturday to pick their governor for the next four years.
A total of 1,793,914 registered voters have collected their cards to be eligible for participation in the election in which Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mr. Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the leading candidates.
Tinubu,in a statement in Abuja through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasised the importance of upholding democratic principles.
He urged all participants to respect the will of the people and approach the election with maturity and decorum.
The President encouraged citizens to exercise their voting rights without fear, both during and after the election.
He praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its prompt distribution of sensitive electoral materials to all the 18 local government areas in the state.
He also commended the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff for deploying security personnel to ensure a safe voting environment.
“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 said.
Tinubu 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.
He appealed to all Nigerians to see the Ondo election as an opportunity to strengthen democratic values and principles.
Heavy security across state
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.
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.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
