The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed confidence in the successful conduct of the upcoming Ondo State governorship election, assuring the public that lessons learned from previous polls, especially the Edo State election, will be applied to avoid past mistakes.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who was in Akure on Monday for a readiness assessment ahead of the November 16 election, emphasized two main areas of focus: improved logistics and faster results management.
“We have learned a lot of lessons not only from the last election but also from previous elections. There are two challenges that we faced before: logistics, to ensure polling units open promptly on election day, and results management. I assure voters in Ondo State that they will see fast improvement in both areas,” Yakubu stated.
Yakubu’s visit to Ondo was part of a series of preparatory activities to ensure the commission’s readiness for the election. He revealed that the commission had received positive reports from its Ondo office but decided to conduct an on-the-ground assessment, meeting with local stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organizations, security agencies, and INEC staff.
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As part of the preparations, Yakubu confirmed that a mock accreditation exercise would take place across 16 polling units in six local government areas, spanning the three senatorial zones of the state. This exercise is aimed at testing the accreditation process before the main election.
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“We are here to assess the state office’s readiness, and we will also meet with various stakeholders to ensure smooth cooperation. On Thursday, we will engage with the stakeholders, and the National Peace Committee will also hold a signing of the national peace accord the following day,” he added.
Yakubu’s assurance comes as INEC faces increased scrutiny following challenges encountered during previous state elections.
However, the commission has committed to improving its processes, including better logistics for polling unit setup and faster transmission of results to voters and stakeholders.
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