The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that Ondo State has added approximately 58,708 new voters to its electoral register in preparation for the governorship election scheduled for November 16, 2024.
Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), disclosed these details during a briefing on the state’s election readiness. She noted that 3,132 voters transferred their registration into Ondo State, while 123 voters transferred their registration out of the state.
According to the REC, the updated voter statistics indicate that over 2,053,061 individuals will participate in the upcoming election. The breakdown includes more than 1,034,006 male voters, 1,019,055 female voters, 726,944 youths, 721,982 middle-aged individuals, and 441,516 elderly voters, along with 162,619 senior citizens and 1,782 persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Babalola emphasized that the registration exercise was inclusive, transparent, and accessible to all eligible citizens, including marginalized groups.
The distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will commence soon. Babalola urged all registered voters from the previous registration exercise who have yet to collect their PVCs to do so, stating that the process is ongoing at local council offices.
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She added that the commission would simplify the collection process and establish PVC collection centers in all Registration Areas (RAs) and local government areas for easier access.
Regarding electoral materials, Babalola confirmed that a large percentage of non-sensitive materials required for the election have been received and deployed to the 18 Local Government Offices.
She assured that INEC is collaborating closely with relevant security agencies and stakeholders to ensure the safe storage and timely distribution of these materials on the eve of the election.
The REC also noted that the portal for recruiting ad-hoc staff for the election has closed, and the commission is in the process of selecting those who applied to serve as election officials. Qualified candidates will be invited for training. Babalola mentioned that extensive capacity-building workshops have been conducted for INEC staff, with more training sessions ongoing.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, who will make up a significant portion of the poll officials, have undergone 13 weeks of training in preparation for their roles.
INEC has intensified voter education campaigns across the state and has collaborated with various groups to discourage voter apathy. Babalola expressed the commission’s goal of encouraging peaceful participation and high voter turnout, utilizing multiple channels, including radio, television, social media, and town hall meetings, to reach diverse segments of the population.
A key innovation for the election is the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which will be used for voter accreditation at all 3,933 polling units in the state. Babalola stated that the BVAS system would ensure that only registered voters with valid PVCs are allowed to vote and would also transmit polling unit results directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for greater transparency and real-time access to election results.
On security arrangements, Babalola affirmed that INEC is working with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to ensure a secure environment for all election stakeholders.
Security personnel will be deployed across all polling units, collation centers, and strategic locations to prevent any form of electoral malpractice or violence. She urged all citizens to remain calm and law-abiding throughout the election process.
