ONDO DECIDES: HEAVY SECURITY PRESENCE AS ELECTORATES PREPARE FOR GUBER POLL
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As voters are ready to choose a new governor, Akure, the capital of Ondo State, and other nearby towns are heavily guarded.
Ondo voters have two options: Hon. Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On Saturday, 1,793,914 electorates who obtained their Permanent Voter Cards—out of the 2,053,061 registered voters in the state—are anticipated to cast their ballots.
This was in contrast to the governorship election in 2020, when 1,478,460 people in Ondo State were eligible to vote.
According to checks, 58,708 new voters were registered in Ondo State, 3,132 existing voters moved their registrations into and within the state, and 123 existing voters moved their registrations out of Ondo State.
Party agents kept a tight eye on the distribution of sensitive election-related materials to local government regions, which were heavily secured.
Unlike past elections, this is the first time that there has been little violence reported prior to the election in Ondo State.
No incidents of fans fighting during campaigns or attacks on billboards were reported. Seven opposition PDP members were hospitalized in Idanre, Idanre Local Government Area, following reports that they were attacked by alleged political thugs.
Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbedokun sent out 22,239 police officers to quell any violence during the election. They were backed by 8,500 officers from the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Speaking about the security deployment, Deputy Inspector General of Police Abiodun Alabi stated that the police were ready to ensure a safe environment for the successful and peaceful conduct of elections throughout the state and to give all candidates, regardless of party affiliation or status, an equal opportunity to compete.
Alabi said there would be provision of adequate security for election officials and materials from all ”take-off” points to their respective destinations.
He said the police would “Ensure that all participants and other citizens comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act of 2020 as amended and other statute laws of the Federation.
“We will render all necessary assistance to INEC officials to facilitate the discharge of their responsibilities and provide adequate contingency plans to contain any crisis that may directly or indirectly arise before, during or after the conduct of the election.
Alabi said all arrested electoral offenders would be prosecuted accordingly.
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