By Ademola Tijani
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Wednesday that approximately two million registered voters are expected to participate in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election, scheduled for November 16, 2024. The commission also confirmed that it would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and utilize the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for the swift uploading of results from polling units.
This was revealed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Toyin Babalola, during a seminar organized by the International Press Center (IPC) in Akure, the state capital, with funding from the European Union (EU). Babalola emphasized INEC’s commitment to ensuring credible elections and delivering quality service. She further assured that all necessary arrangements have been made to conduct a free, fair, and inclusive election.
According to Babalola, Ondo State has a total of 2,053,061 registered voters, and media registration for the election has already begun. She also noted that measures are in place to handle any potential issues with the BVAS devices on election day, with Registration Area Technicians on standby to address any technical difficulties.
Speaking at the event, INEC’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dr. Temitope Akanmu, reiterated that over two million voters are expected to cast their ballots. He emphasized the use of BVAS and IReV systems to ensure transparency and credibility during the election. Akanmu added that similar preparations are underway for the governorship election in Edo State, scheduled for September 21, 2024.
In his welcome address, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the IPC, highlighted the critical role of the media in promoting electoral integrity. He stressed that elections are the foundation of democratic societies and emphasized the importance of equipping journalists with the necessary skills for election coverage.