The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the deployment of 3,554 local and international observers for the Ondo State governorship election, scheduled for November 16, 2024.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the International Culture and Event Centre, Akure, Thursday to discuss the electoral preparations and address concerns.
Professor Yakubu highlighted the scale of preparations, underscoring the involvement of 111 accredited domestic and international organizations monitoring the election process.
“This number reflects the growing national and global interest in Nigeria’s electoral proceedings, especially given the state’s 2,053,061 registered voters. INEC has also accredited over 100 media organizations, assigning 700 personnel, including 129 female journalists, to cover the event,” he said.
The INEC Boss noted that the commission has emphasized the importance of security and transparency in the election, noting its collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to protect all electoral stakeholders.
Professor Yakubu stressed the safety provisions for observers, media personnel, and voters, ensuring them of unimpeded access to polling and collation centers across the state.
“To enhance transparency and credibility, INEC will deploy the BVAS machines for voter accreditation and result uploads to its IReV portal. A recent mock accreditation in six local government areas tested the BVAS systems, with results available on the IReV portal.
“INEC’s efforts to ensure a smooth election include advance deployment of sensitive materials and preparation of accreditation tags for party agents, observers, and media representatives, each equipped with QR codes for authentication,” he said.
The stakeholders’ meeting also addressed concerns around impersonation by polling agents. Professor Yakubu urged political parties to issue official INEC-provided tags to their agents, ensuring their names, photos, and deployment locations are verified, which will help reduce potential conflicts at polling stations.
Concluding his address, Professor Yakubu invited stakeholders to the signing of a Peace Accord on Friday, November 8, at the same venue.
This peace agreement, facilitated by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, aims to secure a peaceful and orderly election environment.
