The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the nomination of candidates for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State will close on Monday, May 20, 2024.
INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu made this statement during a quarterly meeting with political parties in Abuja.
Yakubu confirmed that the commission monitored the primaries of 18 political parties. He reminded the parties of the strict 6pm deadline on May 20 for submitting nominations, emphasizing that there would be no extension. Parties have had 23 days from the end of their primaries to prepare and submit their candidate lists, including the governorship candidate and their running mate.
In preparation for the upcoming off-cycle elections, INEC will resume Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Edo and Ondo states. The Edo State Governorship election is scheduled for September 21, 2024. CVR in both states will take place from May 27 through June 5.
Yakubu announced that due to time constraints, CVR will be conducted at ward levels and INEC headquarters in the two states. This includes 192 ward registration centers in Edo and 203 centers in Ondo, alongside the state offices in Benin City and Akure. Each center will be managed by INEC staff and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
Registered voters will have the opportunity to transfer their registration within or between states. Yakubu warned against double registration and stated that lost or damaged voter cards would be replaced without requiring new registration.
Political parties were urged to mobilize prospective registrants and ensure they register early to avoid last-minute congestion at registration centers. The commission will also make uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) available during the CVR period. Lists of uncollected PVCs will be published in INEC offices and online.
Yakubu stressed the importance of political parties adhering to the timeline for uploading the list of polling and collation agents, which is crucial for timely production and delivery of identity cards. The Edo State election will involve 76,823 polling unit agents and 3,587 ward, local government, and state collation agents across 17 participating political parties.
The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) called for the restoration of annual subventions to registered political parties. IPAC National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle condemned the frequent cross-carpeting of elected officials and urged adherence to democratic principles and party constitutions.
The Labour Party faces internal conflicts, with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) challenging the legitimacy of Julius Abure’s leadership. The NLC’s Political Commission insists that Abure’s tenure expired last year and disputes the validity of his recent re-election. The party’s Board of Trustees is expected to address these issues.
INEC’s meeting aimed to update party leaders on the preparations for the upcoming governorship elections and emphasized the need for maintaining law and order during the election process.
