• 1.7 m voters to pick new governor
• Police deploy 22,239 personnel, NSCDC 6,000

No fewer than 10 governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are hibernating in Akure, the Ondo State capital, ahead of today’s governorship election in the state.

Also hibernating in the state are some ministers and presidential aides, who were seen mingling with political aides as they remain in Ondo after their political rallies, to give support to the candidates of their different parties ahead of the governorship election.

Some of the governors and ministers arrived in Akure on Wednesday for the grand rallies of their different parties and have refused to leave while others arrived yesterday to give their support.
Among the governors sighted by our correspondents include, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, Douye Diri of Bayelsa and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, among others.

The governors met with different interest groups, including those of their ethnic groups living in Ondo State, to woo them for the candidates of their political parties. Zulum also visited the Central Mosque in Akure for the Jumat service.

This development came as heavy security was noticed in different parts of the state. Aside from the regular police, the military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other paramilitary officers were seen around to provide security for the election.

1m voters to pick one out of 17 candidates
Not less than one million voters will determine the political fate of 17 candidates, who are squaring up in the governorship election.
According to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mamood Yakubu 17,000 adhoc and regular officials of the commission have been deployed for the election in 4,154 voting and collation locations.

Police, NSCDC, others ready
There are 203 wards scattered across the 18 local governments in the state and 3,933 polling units. In order to deliver adequate election security, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun said that apart from additional manpower from sister agencies; the Nigeria Police would deploy a total of 22,239 officers for the exercise.
The Nigeria Police Force said that it has put enough security measures in place, harnessing adequate preparations and strategies to ensure a smooth run of the state governorship election.
The Force Public Relations officer, Force headquarters, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, at a media briefing, said, “The Force has banned the use of sirens, covered number plates, aides and escorts during the elections.”

According to him, “Local, unauthorized, and quasi-security agencies are once again warned to steer clear as violators would experience severe consequences and face the full wrath of the law.
Restrictions on movement on the day of the election from 6 am till 6 pm remain valid as members of the public are advised to make adequate preparations to this effect.”
He said Commissioners of Police, CPs have also been deployed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Elections.
His words “DIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, has ordered the immediate deployment of CPs assigned for election duties to their designated local government areas. Adequate personnel have been deployed to all the polling units. In addition to ground personnel, aerial patrols with police helicopters and waterway patrols by gunboats are also being carried out to ensure tight security across all terrains.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has also ordered the establishment of the Electoral Offences Desk to be coordinated by the AC Ondo State CID, and supported by other senior officers from the FCID Abuja, to carry out investigations and possible prosecution of cases as stipulated in the Electoral Act, 2023 (as amended).
“Citizens are encouraged to give full cooperation and support to making the electoral process free and fair. Citizens can also contact the DIG Elections on 08081775899, and the AIG Elections on 09085000029. Inquiries and incident reporting should be directed to the general control room number, headed by the CP Elections, CP Tunji Disu: 07034313903. Control rooms will be manned by the police and relevant agencies engaged in the electoral process.

“Through collaborative efforts, we can assure the elections are held fairly and peacefully, free from any form of manipulation or interference, thereby safeguarding the integrity and legitimacy of the electoral outcomes.

“Through collaborative efforts, we can assure the elections are held fairly and peacefully, free from any form of manipulation or interference, thereby safeguarding the integrity and legitimacy of the electoral outcomes.”

Similarly, the NSCDC said it has deployed 6,000 personnel to ensure a secure and peaceful environment for the state governorship election.
The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, who disclosed this, expressed the determination of the corps to ensure adequate Security for the hitch-free gubernatorial poll.
The Commandant said that the deployment was part of the corps’ efforts to guarantee a free, fair, and credible election process. Audu declared that the NSCDC is fully prepared to contribute to the success of the election.

The deployed personnel, according to the Commandant, would include “specialized units such as the Special Female Squad, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Agro Rangers Unit, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Unit (CBRNE), K-9 Unit, Marine Unit, and Election Monitoring Unit (EMU).

This unit, he said, would provide comprehensive security coverage across the 18 Local Government Areas, 203 Wards, and 3,933 Polling Units.

The officer in charge of the election, Philip Ayuba, highlighted the significance of enough security for the electorate to be able to exercise their franchise.

He noted that “the NSCDC has made adequate arrangements to prevent any disruptions and ensure the protection of utilities.”

Ayuba also appreciated the role of the media, acknowledging the Police as the lead agency and the NSCDC as a sister agency.

His words “The NSCDC’s deployment is not limited to election-day security; personnel will also safeguard critical national assets and infrastructure, secure INEC officials and ad hoc staff, and monitor the entire election process until the results are announced. The Intelligence and Investigation Department will focus on preventing political violence and curbing potential election-related unrest.

“The NSCDC’s deployment demonstrates its commitment to ensuring a peaceful and credible election in Ondo State. With a strong presence across the state, the corps is well-prepared to address any security challenges that may arise during the election.”

INEC deploys 4,002 BVAS machines
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it will deploy 4,002 Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) for the election, while 812 were reserved to address emergencies.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oluwatoyin Babalola, in an interview with journalists in Akure on Friday, also disclosed that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offices Commission (ICPC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will deploy officials to the 18 local government areas to curb vote buying.
Babalola assured that the results from the BVAS would be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time, adding, “In areas with network issues, officials will relocate to nearby areas to facilitate uploading.

“With these measures in place, Ondo State is poised for a successful governorship election.”

The REC said ad-hoc staff have been recruited, trained and retrained before posting to their respective areas of assignment.

She stated that INEC has conducted extensive voter awareness and education campaigns through multiple channels, to inform citizens about the electoral process.

“The commission encourages all registered voters to exercise their franchise and promises a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election,” Mrs. Babalola further assured.

The REC assured of adequate security, and said over 30,000 security personnel will be deployed across the state.

“These personnel have undergone training on professionalism, commitment, and INEC’s processes,” she added.

…Uphold peace, decorum, Tinubu urges stakeholders

As Ondo State holds its off-cycle governorship election today, President Bola Tinubu has urged all political stakeholders and the electorate to uphold peace and decorum and fulfill their civic responsibilities without fear before or after the elections.

According to a release by his spokesman, Bato Onanuga, the President anticipated a democratic process in the state that would genuinely reflect the people’s will and power to freely choose their leaders.

The President commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its diligent preparations for the election, particularly its timely distribution of sensitive materials across all the 18 local government areas in the state.

He also acknowledged the deployment of security men to maintain law and order, while appreciating the assurances from the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff that the personnel would act professionally and adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act to ensure a credible electoral process.

Tinubu reminded all political stakeholders, especially the candidates, that the people bestow the privilege to govern, and that this right must be respected and not undermined.

He emphasised that it was in the best interest of all Nigerians to ensure a free and fair election and consolidate the nation’s over 25 years of democratic governance.