By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Barely one week to the upcoming governorship election in Ondo state, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed his satisfaction over the Commission’s level of preparedness to conduct a free, fair and credible poll on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
Yakubu gave this assurance during a visit to the Commission’s Akure North and South Local Government Area Offices on Wednesday in continuation of his Readiness Assessment Tour to Ondo state ahead of the November 16, 2024 governorship election.
Speaking during the visit INEC boss expressed his satisfaction with the level of preparedness saying, the Commission will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the November 16 governorship election raises the bar.
Yakubu added that he was confident in the level of the Umpire’s readiness in delivering credible poll in Ondo state this time around.
Earlier, while briefing the Chairman on the network challenge affecting the Area of Iju/Itaogbolu, the Electoral Officer (EO) of the Akure North Local government Area, Mrs Bala Mustapha, maintained that an alternative measure to outsmart the network glitch to enable the seamless upload of election result would be duly harnessed.
She, however, explained that the Commission will collaborate with all the relevant security agencies to ensure the adequate protection of election materials.
Also speaking, the Electoral Officer (EO) of Akure South, Mr. Oyediran Oyetunji, said plans are already on top gear to deliver a successful election, adding that logistics arrangement for the 596 polling units under his watch is at an advanced level, with no challenges recorded so far.
“From what was seen on ground in Ondo state, the INEC in line with its constitutional mandate, is ready to conduct free, fair and credible polls in the upcoming off-cycle governorship election in the 18 local government areas of Ondo state”, Yakubu said.
In another development, the INEC Chairman interfaced with heads of Ondo state security agencies on the need to proffer security measures before, during and after the election.
