INEC to deploy 17,705 adhoc staff, 11,799 security men to Ondo

Oluwatoyin Babalola, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, has stated that 17,705 adhoc staff will be deployed for the November 16 Governorship Election in the State, just as Oath of Neutrality will be administered on 11,799 security personnel ahead of the poll.

Babalola made the call at the INEC Office in Akure, the Ondo State Capital during a press briefing on the level of preparedness of the Commission for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

According to her, the Oath of Neutrality will be administered on the adhoc staff and the security agents few days to the election to ensure credibility and fairness in the electoral process.

The REC pointed out that the staff and security personnel were being trained for professionalism on election duties.

Babalola said, “to ensure a secure electoral environment before, during and after the November 16 governorship election, INEC has commenced the Election Security Personnel (ESP) training. This programme is designed for all categories of security personnel to be deployed at various stages of the election.

“The training began today, 14th October 2024, and will conclude on 16th October 2024 at the state level, with the zonal sessions scheduled for the three senatorial districts from 18th to 20th October, 2024.

“This training aims to equip our security agents with the necessary knowledge and skills to handle the unique challenges that may arise before, during and after the election.

“At the end of this training, they are expected to cascade the training down the line having acquired the requisite skill and knowledge to effectively bring out the best and enhance a high-level spirit of professionalism in security personnel deployed for the election.

“The 18 Electoral Officers and their assistants have also completed a five-day technical training. This training was conducted in recognition of the sensitive nature of their work and the need to enhance their skills, thereby improving their performance in the upcoming election.

“The timetable and the schedule of activities for Ondo state governorship election slated for 15th October, 2024 for the presentation of the Official Register of Voters to political parties in line with the provisions of section 10(4) of the Electoral Act, 2022 which provides: Section 10 (4)

“When a general election is notified by the Commission under section 28 of this Act, the current official register of voters certified by the Commission in accordance with the provision of this Act shall be the official voters’ register. You will recall that the Commission conducted a Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) Exercise between 27th May 2024.

“At the end of the exercise, there was a significant increase in registered voters across the state: 58,708 new voters were registered. In addition, 3,132 voters transferred their registration into and within Ondo State, while 123 voters transferred their registration within and out of Ondo State. The harmonized total number of new registered voters with the old registered voters is now 2,053,061.

“The Register of Voters is a vital document that contains the details of all eligible voters for the election. The register is the foundation of electoral credibility. It plays a pivotal role in ensuring that every eligible voter can exercise their civic duty.

Read also: Collection of PVCs for Ondo gov election begins Thursday – INEC

“In line with statutory requirement to publish and provide copies of the voter register to all political parties, the Commission will present the updated register to political parties on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the INEC Conference Room in Akure, starting at 9:00 a.m.

“I encourage political parties to seize this opportunity, as it reflects the Commission’s commitment to transparency and ensuring a level playing field. It is also an excellent moment to enhance voter education and sensitization efforts, enabling the electorate to critically engage with party manifestos and make informed choices.

“I am also pleased to announce that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ondo State will commence from 17th October, 2024. This exercise will begin at the Registration Area (RA) level until October 21st , 2024, including the weekend. PVC distribution will take place across all 203 RAs in the state, from 9am to 3pm daily after which it will continue at the Local Government Area (LGA) level from 23rd to 29th October, 2024.

“PVCs will be distributed at designated collection centers across all 203 Registration Areas within the state’s 18 LGAs. I urge registered voters, especially those who recently updated their details or are newly registered, to take advantage of this opportunity to collect their PVCs. I also encourage those who had previously registered but are yet to collect their cards to use this window to do so.”