A total of 111 domestic and international organizations have been accredited for the upcoming Ondo State Governorship election, scheduled for November 16.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced this in Akure, the state capital, noting that 3,554 observers will be deployed.
“As you are aware, an election is a multi-stakeholder activity. INEC has a role to play, and we have always done so in consultation with stakeholders,” Yakubu said.
He emphasized that the commission’s efforts must be supported by other stakeholders and urged political parties to maintain control over their supporters to prevent any disruptive actions.
Yakubu further stated, “Accreditation tags have been produced for all your agents, bearing their names, photographs, and location of deployment. We have also added a QR code to the tags that can be read even from mobile phone applications.”
He explained that over 100 media organizations, including radio, television, newspaper, and online outlets, had been accredited, with about 700 personnel in total, including 129 female journalists—the highest number for any off-cycle governorship election in Nigeria.
In addition, INEC has accredited thousands of agents representing various candidates and political parties at polling and collation centers across the state.
Yakubu assured stakeholders that accreditation tags for all categories were ready and that the INEC office in Akure would soon begin distributing these tags, as well as vehicle stickers for election duty.
The Supervising National Commissioner overseeing Ondo, Oyo, and Osun states, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, urged political parties and their candidates to demonstrate the highest level of decorum and responsibility. He reminded them of the impact their conduct could have on public perception and the outcome of the election.
“This election is a collective endeavor. The future of Ondo State and the credibility of our electoral process rest in our hands,” Ajayi said. “The eyes of the nation will be on Ondo State come November 16. Let us make this election a positive example of what is possible when we come together with a shared commitment to democracy.”
