We are ready for bye-election in Ondo State- INEC declares

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says all is ready for the Akoko North-East and Akoko North-West Federal Constituency election scheduled for Feb. 3 in Ondo State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mrs Olutoyin Babalola, made this statement in Akure on Wednesday, saying that non-sensitive materials had been received from INEC headquarters and sent to the two Local Government Areas.
Babalola, who spoke on the sideline of a two-day training for Supervisory Presiding Officers SPOs at the INEC office in Akure, said an adequate number of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines had been configured for the election to be held in 329 polling units.
She said the training will also be held for Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers later on Friday, ahead of the election, adding that eight parties had presented candidates to contest for the federal constituency seat vacated by Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was appointed a minister by President Bola Tinubu.
The parties and their candidates include Action Alliance – Aliyu Ajewole, All Progressives Congress (APC) – Ehindero Ifeoluwa, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) – Adesuyi Victoria Alaba and Action Peoples Party – Ajagunla Olanrewaju A.
Others are the Labour Party – Abass Arisekola, New Nigeria Peoples Party – Akadiri Mukaila Olusola, Peoples Democratic Party – Olalekan Bada, and the Social Democratic Party – Ogunleye Muritala Idowu.
According to her, Babalola said that adequate arrangements had been made for the transportation of personnel, non-sensitive as well as sensitive materials to the polling units on the election day with adequate security cover.
The REC said the police and other security agencies were working with the commission to ensure the peaceful conduct of the by-election in the state.