A News Analysis by Emmanuel Oloniruha, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

As Ondo State prepares for the governorship election on Saturday, November 16, the atmosphere is charged with both anticipation and concern.

With 18 political parties competing for the coveted position, the stakes are high, and expectations from citizens, political parties, and the electoral body are palpable.

There are 2,053,061 registered voters in Ondo, but only 1,757,205 (85.6 per cent) who have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be eligible to participate.

The election will take place across 3,933 polling units in the state’s 18 local government areas.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 111 domestic and international organisations will deploy 3,554 observers to monitor the election.

Additionally, over 100 media organisations, deploying about 700 personnel, including 129 female journalists, will cover the election, marking the largest media presence for any off-cycle governorship election in Nigeria.

As Ondo voters eagerly prepare to cast their ballots, democracy advocates hope that the election will set a new precedent for future Nigerian elections, one rooted in integrity and respect for democratic principles.

Key players such as INEC, security agencies, and political parties have expressed their readiness and commitment to ensuring a successful and credible election.

To enhance transparency, INEC has announced the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter verification and real-time result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ondo, stated that “a total of 4,002 BVAS devices will be used for the election, with 812 devices held in reserve.

“These devices are fully charged, configured, and ready for deployment, and all non-sensitive materials have been sorted and dispatched for distribution to polling units.

Babalola further revealed that “the Registration Area Centers (RACs) are prepared to accommodate INEC’s ad-hoc staff, with provisions made for their comfort during pre-election preparations”.

Training has been completed for Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs), and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs).

In addition, several meetings have been held with transport unions to ensure the smooth movement of personnel and election materials.

INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, speaking at a stakeholders meeting on November 7 in Akure, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting a credible and transparent election.

Yakubu noted that “a successful mock accreditation had been carried out across 12 polling units in six LGAs, demonstrating the system’s reliability”.

He also emphasised that accreditation tags with QR codes would be provided to all accredited journalists, observer groups, and party agents to ensure only authorised representatives are allowed at polling units and collation centres.

Yakubu assured stakeholders that logistics and result management would see significant improvement, particularly with the deployment of election materials and personnel.

“Voters in Ondo should expect a marked improvement in election-day logistics,” he said.

Regarding security, over 36,000 police officers, along with personnel from other security agencies, will be deployed across the state on election day, totaling approximately 43,157 officers.

The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at a recent election security meeting stated that the government is committed to ensuring peaceful elections.

He also warned that “any attempt to disrupt the election would be met with the full force of the law”.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, also reaffirmed the neutrality and professionalism of security agencies.

“Security will be watertight around polling stations and public areas,” he said, urging all stakeholders to avoid violence and refrain from using thugs.

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), Chairman of the National Peace Accord Committee, appealed to all political stakeholders to refrain from violent acts and to accept the election results if deemed free, fair, and credible.

He also urged party leaders and candidates to accept the outcome of the elections, provided it is deemed free, fair, and credible, and to seek legitimate, peaceful means to address any concerns that may arise afterward.

“While I commend INEC for the work done so far, I call on them to continue living up to their responsibilities by ensuring that eligible voters exercise their franchise peacefully and that the remaining electoral processes remain credible, free, and fair,” he said.

Abubakar also urged the police to remain vigilant in preventing any threats of violence and maintaining peace in the state.

He advised voters to turn out in large numbers to vote for their preferred candidates and to refrain from selling their votes, saying that political actors must put an end to the practice of vote trading.

“As citizens, you must also respect that only INEC has the constitutional authority to announce the results,” Abubakar said.

Similarly, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) warned against vote-buying and urged political parties and candidates to prioritise the interests of Ondo citizens.

IPAC Chairman Yusuf Dantalle emphasised that “leadership should be selfless service to the people, and if that is the case, no responsible leader will want to force himself or herself on the people”.

The Centre for Democracy and Development’s briefing paper, ‘A Tale of Two Deputies – Reviewing the Political Terrain of the 2024 Ondo Governorship Election’, reveals key factors that could influence the election.

They include; the candidates, evaluations of the incumbent governments, party structures, voter apathy, insecurity, and information disorder.

The report notes that while many of these factors are common in recent Nigerian elections, they take on a new significance in this context, potentially swaying the outcome.

It emphasises that the election’s credibility depends on the capacity of the election management body to ensure a free and fair process.

The report says to maintain legitimacy, concerns about the election must be addressed by the authorities, ensuring the next administration starts with the trust needed to fulfill its mandate.

All in all, many believe that by fostering mutual respect among political actors and encouraging active civic participation, Ondo state has the opportunity to set the stage for a more robust democratic process in Nigeria. (NAN)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.