Jega to visit Ondo Tuesday

Ahead of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attihuru Jega, will arrive the state next Tuesday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, said yesterday.
According to him, the INEC chairman is expected to attend a stakeholders’ meeting that will be attended by the 13 governorship candidates.
Orebiyi, who spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting at the INEC headquarters in Akure, said Prof. Jega is expected to leave the state on Wednesday after the meeting.
He said: “The INEC Chairman has asked me to commend the political parties that will participate in the election for displaying maturity. He urged them to continue to embrace peace. Jega said he would be in the state next week to meet stakeholders, in order to conduct a free and fair election.”
The REC said over 1,000 students of the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo are expected to work as assistant presiding officers during the poll.
Orebiyi, who highlighted some of the INEC activities towards the preparation for the election, said voting materials would arrive on October 18, adding that party agents are expected to be in attendance.
He said the electoral body would on that day begin the distribution of the materials to the two riverine local government areas.
“The election will be a benchmark for future polls in the country. Voting on October 20 must begin at 8am. We will move the election materials to the riverine areas two days to the election so that voting will start at the appropriate time.
“Party agents are expected to monitor the materials from the INEC office to Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government, where materials for the elections in the two local governments will be kept. They will be kept at the Naval Base Office till Saturday morning. Materials for election in Ese-Odo Local Government will be moved that morning to Igbekebo, the headquarters of the council, which is about 30 minutes to Ilaje.

“The electoral body will start the distribution of the election materials on the eve of the election day. All the materials must arrive various wards that night so that before 8am on election day, materials must have been at all the units,” Orebiyi said.