The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is taking proactive steps to ensure the integrity and security of the November 16th governorship election in Ondo State. An oath of neutrality will be administered to 17,705 ad-hoc staff and 11,799 security personnel from the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Customs, and other agencies to guarantee their impartiality during the election.

At a press conference, Resident Electoral Commissioner Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola announced that the updated voter register will be made available to participating political parties. The total number of registered voters now stands at 2,053,061, following the harmonization of new and existing registrations.

To facilitate voter participation, the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will commence on October 17th and run until October 21st across 203 registration areas. Babalola urged registered voters, particularly those who recently updated their details or are newly registered, to collect their PVCs. Notably, 295,603 PVCs remain uncollected, while 58,708 newly registered voters will receive their cards.

INEC has also initiated the Election Security Personnel training program to equip security agents with necessary knowledge and skills to handle election-related challenges. This training, which began on October 14th, will conclude on October 16th at the state level, with zonal sessions scheduled for October 18-20th.

These measures demonstrate INEC’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and ensuring a level playing field for all stakeholders in the Ondo State governorship election.