The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed sensitive materials to all 18 local government areas of Ondo State ahead of the Saturday governorship election in the state.
Oluwatoyin Babalola, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, monitored the exercise held at the facility of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Akure, on Thursday.
Babalola explained that the early distribution of sensitive materials to the LGAs had shown the readiness of the electoral body in ensuring a free and fair exercise in the state.
“You can see that the distribution exercise is going on very smoothly. The farthest local governments have started moving to their local governments.
“All the other local governments, they have received their materials, they are checking and they are loading the vehicles.
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“You can see the logistics we are distributing today. The vehicles are already moving. Ilaje has left, Ese-Odo has left, Okitipupa and Irele are loading. They will soon leave.
“We move to the next set, Akoko North-East, Northwest, Akoko South-West, South-East, Owo and Ose they have collected all their materials and they will leave any moment from now.
“Then Odigbo, Ondo-East, Ondo-West, Ifedore, Axis, they are leaving. We are on course. We are moving. The movement is not local government by local government. We are doing simultaneous movement.”
Babalola further explained that the electoral body had been able to overcome the challenges of deploying election materials to the riverine areas of the state.
She listed the difficult terrain on water, where the election is to take place to include Ilaje and Ese-Odo LGAs, saying the commission would be deploying boats in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy.
“We also have the support of the Navy. They are giving us gunboats to secure the movement.
“For the land where we have difficult terrain, we will move out to the place where vehicle can reach, and we will continue the rest with suitable means of transportation,” she added.
The State Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Adesanya Olaoluwa, commended the INEC for its transparency in the exercise, saying all the parties were ready to cooperate with the commission.
Daily Trust reports that representatives of the political parties participating in the election and security agencies, including the police, the NSCDC, the FRSC, Immigration, customs, and DSS, were present at the disturbution venue.
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