The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is fully prepared for the Ondo State Governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 16, according to its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Addressing a large audience at the Stakeholders’ Meeting held at the Dome in Akure, Ondo State, on Thursday, November 7, Prof. Yakubu confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be used for voter accreditation at polling units and for uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
He added that the Commission has accredited 111 domestic and international organizations, deploying 3,554 observers, along with over 100 media organizations and 700 personnel, including 129 female journalists. All accreditation tags and vehicle stickers for election duty are prepared and available for collection at the INEC State office in Akure.
Prof. Yakubu noted that only two steps remain before Election Day: the end of campaigning, which concludes at midnight on Thursday, November 14, and the election itself.
Regarding pre-election activities, Prof. Yakubu informed the stakeholders that INEC had conducted voter registration and made Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) available for collection. He also highlighted that detailed information on the number of collected and uncollected PVCs across the state’s 3,933 polling units is now accessible on the INEC website, allowing voters to check their status and polling locations.
He provided an overview of the 2,053,061 registered voters in the state, along with a demographic breakdown by local government area, gender, age, occupation, and disability status. He also confirmed that a comprehensive list of candidates, including those added by court orders, is available to ensure transparency and legal compliance.
Prof. Yakubu further revealed that the Commission, in collaboration with security and law enforcement agencies, has implemented robust security measures to protect voters, INEC staff, observers, and media personnel at all polling and collation centers. He assured that the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant agencies have guaranteed a secure environment to allow for smooth and unhindered participation in the electoral process.
On the use of technology for the election, the INEC Chairman shared that a successful mock accreditation was conducted across 12 polling units in six local government areas to test the effectiveness of the BVAS machines, confirming the system’s reliability. The results of this exercise have been uploaded to the IReV portal.
Regarding election materials, Prof. Yakubu stated that arrangements have been finalized for the arrival of sensitive materials on Tuesday, November 12. He assured that political parties and other stakeholders will be invited to inspect the materials at the Central Bank in Akure before they are transported to various local government and ward centers under tight supervision.
Additionally, the INEC Chairman disclosed that both land and maritime transportation solutions have been arranged to address potential logistical challenges. Technical support staff will also be deployed to handle any technological issues on Election Day.
Recognizing the key role of political parties in maintaining order, he called on party leaders to ensure their supporters avoid disruptive behavior. He also stressed the importance of proper identification, announcing that INEC Accreditation Tags with QR codes would be provided to all party agents, ensuring that only authorized representatives are present at polling and collation centers.
To prevent impersonation, Prof. Yakubu warned against the use of unverified party tags and urged adherence to INEC’s identification protocol to avoid conflicts at polling stations.
He also reminded stakeholders about the Peace Accord signing event scheduled for November 8 at 10:00 a.m. at The Dome, which will be chaired by the former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC). The ceremony aims to reaffirm the commitment of all candidates to peaceful elections.