By Bukola Olamona & Jubril Bada
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Ahead of Saturday’s general elections, political parties in Ondo State have expressed the preparedness of their candidates to emerge winners, as campaigns end tomorrow.
Expectedly, sensitive election materials will be distributed through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, nationwide to all INEC local government offices today.
More than 7,000 security personnel including soldiers will be deployed across strategic locations in Ondo State to provide security for electoral officials and voters during Saturday February 25 general election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has trained a total of 17,562 ad-hoc staff and corps members for the conduct of the elections in Ondo state.
These facts were confirmed by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Oyeyemi Oyediran at a joint Press Conference with the Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner, in the state, Mr Ojekola Oyelami in Akure yesterday.
The Police Commissioner, who was flanked by other security chiefs in the state, noted the deployment of security operatives had started, but warned that political thuggery would not be condoned during the elections.
Oyelami who said the election would take place in 3,923 polling units in the state, insisted that the current naira and fuel crises would not stop the conduct of the elections.
The Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State said “a total of 17,562 ad-hoc personnel will be deployed to 3,923 polling units across the state.
The parties that spoke with The Hope include: the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
18 political parties will be participating in the general elections slated for February 25 and March 11, 2023 across the country.
The major political parties and their candidates are: the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Kwakwanso among others
Though, Ondo State will not hold governorship election, presidential, National and state assembly elections will be held.
In separate interviews, the parties posited how they will provide good leadership if elected as the next president.
The Director, Media and Publicity of the APC in Ondo State, Mr. Steve Otaloro, said the party successfully held its campaigns in the three Senatorial Districts and all the 18 Local Governments of the State were pointer to the high level of preparation towards the elections.
He maintained that the chances of the party’s candidates to coast to victory in the elections was very bright and certain as “Awa Lokan” slogan has taken over the entire South West and glowing with positive support of the northern part of the country, which has resulted into the opposition being afraid of defeat in the elections.
According to him, Northerners give full support to the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for being comfortable with his candidature, political phenomenon and trust in his person for the previous support to Northerners in the past elections.
Otaloro, who explained that Oyo and Osun States which are under the control of opposition PDP are beyond the dictate of the governors?
He noted the chances of APC defeating oppositions was very high as the Northerners supported southern governors for zoning presidency to south, saying that the PDP violation of the arrangement led to its problem with the G-5 governors.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on its part said the party was fully ready to wrestle power from the ruling party through its campaign manifestos and strategies.
The party’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Mr Kennedy Peretei said “every Nigerian knows that, the present turn of events was brought about by the APC. Therefore, people are willing to punish them for the misrule of the last eight years. So, our chances in the coming elections are quite bright. You will agree with me that, with 16 years in the saddle, we did better than the present handlers of our country.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Mr Peter Olagookun declared that his party will win because the hardship in the country was caused by the PDP and complemented by APC, so the people has found alternative with NNPC.
Olagookun who said the problem of Nigeria is leadership, enthused that his party will be government of the people, as it will involve the traditional and religious leaders in decision making which he said, the previous party did not do.
“Everyone is now rejecting the PDP and APC and the Labour Party doesn’t have anything to offer, they are just counting figures, the best alternative, they know now is NNPP, they knew what he did in Kano and he will replicate it in Nigeria, so we are winning the elections by God’s grace.
He commended INEC for their efforts thus far and called them to ensure the conduct free and fair elections in the coming one.
Also, the State Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Mr. Lawrence Oyebanji said the presidential candidate of the party, Dan Nwanyawu is confident of victory in the Saturday election following the successful campaigns.
Oyebanji explained that the ZLP has prepared for the elections as all its agents for each polling unit across the country are on ground just as he emphasized that the party manifesto has been presented to electorate and the need to avoid vote-buying.
He said the party’s chances of winning were high following the acceptability of the party candidate’s manifesto by the electorate.
