The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to use the upcoming Ondo State gubernatorial election as an opportunity to address the challenges faced in past polls. .
During a visit to Ondo on Monday, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu assured voters of improved logistics, promising the early arrival of election materials and better management of results.
“We have learnt a lot of lessons not only from the last election but also previous elections,” Yakubu stated, emphasizing that the commission is fully prepared to enhance the election experience for Ondo voters on November 16.
He noted that the logistical delays and result collation issues encountered in prior elections, particularly in Edo, had been carefully reviewed.
Yakubu outlined two primary areas of improvement for the Ondo election: “Basically, there are two challenges: the first one is logistics for the election, so polling units open promptly on election day.
The second one is result management, and my assurance to voters in Ondo State is that they are going to see fast improvement in these two processes.”
In addition to logistical upgrades, Yakubu stated that his visit included meetings with stakeholders to promote a peaceful, fair, and credible election process. He also confirmed plans to oversee a mock accreditation exercise across six selected polling units on Wednesday, covering each of the three senatorial districts in Ondo.
“One of the activities we are also going to observe is the mock accreditation of voters, which will take place in 16 polling units across six local government areas in the three senatorial zones of the state,” Yakubu added.
The INEC chairman also highlighted an upcoming meeting with stakeholders on Thursday, followed by the signing of a National Peace Accord by the National Peace Committee on Friday, to ensure a smooth and peaceful election environment.
