The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deploy 4,814 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for the upcoming Ondo State governorship election on November 16, 2024. According to a senior INEC official, the commission is fully equipped to facilitate a smooth electoral process across Ondo State’s 3,933 polling units and 222 collation centers, which include 203 ward centers, 18 local government centers, and a state collation center.
In preparation, INEC has scheduled a mock voter accreditation on November 6, 2024, to test the BVAS devices and ensure the efficiency of the electronic result upload to the INEC Result Viewing portal. This exercise aims to address any technical issues before the main election day.
On June 13, 2024, INEC released the final candidate list for the election, confirming that 17 political parties will participate. Although no female candidates are running, the African Democratic Congress has nominated a paraplegic candidate, reflecting inclusivity.
Campaigns for the governorship race, which began on June 19, 2024, will close at midnight on November 14, 2024. Political parties have appointed 24,148 polling and collation agents to support election activities.
Additionally, INEC has accredited 112 media organizations and authorized over 700 journalists, technicians, and support staff from print, radio, television, and digital platforms to cover the election. INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, speaking at the fourth quarterly consultative meeting with media organizations in Abuja, emphasized the media’s essential role in promoting a fair and transparent election process.
“The commission is pleased to announce the accreditation of 112 national and international media organizations, involving over 700 personnel for comprehensive coverage of the election,” Yakubu stated, adding that details on media personnel deployment will be available on INEC’s website and social media platforms.
He urged the media to provide accurate reporting to counter misinformation, promoting a peaceful election environment. The President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Chris Isiguzo, also highlighted the importance of journalist safety and freedom, calling on security agencies to ensure journalists are protected from intimidation or harm during the electoral process.
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