By Damilola Origbemisuyi, Akure
The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that political parties, candidates, observers, security agencies, media houses among others will be allowed to inspect sensitive materials before the commencement of the Ondo State November 16 governorship election.
The INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this disclosure on Tuesday during his visits to various Local Government INEC offices in the state to access their level of preparedness ahead of the election.
It would be recalled that Professor Yakubu on Monday arrived in Akure, the state capital of Ondo State, disclosing that he came to the state to see things for himself and to meet with stakeholders with a view to having a peaceful, free, fair and credible election
Prof. Yakubu who said that the commission is very much prepared ahead of the election revealed that sensitive materials for the state forthcoming election will arrive next week Tuesday.
According to him, the inspection of the materials by major stakeholders will commenced on Wednesday before it will be moved to Local Government Areas on Thursday.
He said “With 10 days to election, the level of preparedness is very impressive. Very rarely will you find the commission this prepared before election that is why I’ve been going around LG to see if they have everything they are supposed to have at this point.
“The only thing remaining is the sensitive materials which will arrive on Tuesday next week. On Wednesday, there will be inspection of the sensitive materials by all parties, candidates, observers, security agencies, media houses and personnel in the commission among others.
“On Thursday we will commence the movement of the materials to LG beginning with the farthest too the nearest. There will be the same inspection in the Local Government before we move it to the RAC centre and on Saturday morning, election will commence.
Visiting the Akure North Local Government electoral office in Iju Ita-Ogbolu, the Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Dije Mustapha, explained that they are 85% prepared for the election.
She noted that the arrival of sensitive materials is what they are waiting for. “We are very prepared. We are like 85% ready, the only thing we are waiting for is the sensitive materials,” she said.
Also speaking, her counterpart, the Electoral Commissioner of Akure South, Ezekiel Oyediran, also acknowledged that they have received almost all the required non-sensitive materials for the election and have been batched into registration areas and polling unit.
“Currently, we have received almost all the required non-sensitive materials for the election and they have been batched into Registration Areas and Polling Unit. In conclusion, we are fully ready to conduct free, fair, credible, inclusive and conclusive election in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election,” he stressed.