By Jubril Bada

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has approved seven political parties to contest the forthcoming local government elections scheduled for January 18, 2025.

This was disclosed during the verification exercise for chairmanship and vice-chairmanship candidates across the 18 local government areas of the state. The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Commission, Mrs. Bisi Lawani, and made available to The Hope.

The political parties cleared for participation include Action Alliance (AA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), Action People’s Party (APP), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The verification exercise for chairmanship and vice-chairmanship candidates was conducted on Monday, December 23, 2024, at the Commission’s headquarters in Akure. It was a crucial step to ensure that all candidates meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the electoral guidelines.

In a related development, ODIEC announced that the verification of councilorship candidates would take place today, December 24, across the various local government area offices of the commission. Electoral officers, under the supervision of ODIEC commissioners, will oversee the process.

Mr. Gbenga Fasua, the APC chairmanship candidate for Akure South Local Government, commended ODIEC for its transparent handling of the exercise.

He lauded the commission for providing equal treatment to all parties and expressed optimism about his party’s chances in the election.

According to him, “We are glad for democracy to be attained, and for it to thrive, it must be contested fairly. As much as political parties are interested in contesting in the election, for us, it is a win-win because of who we are and what we have been able to achieve in such a short time.”

Chief Oyedeji Adetayo, the PDP chairmanship candidate for Akoko North East Local Government, echoed similar sentiments, describing the verification process as free and fair.

He highlighted the thorough scrutiny of certificates and the detailed questioning of candidates as evidence of ODIEC’s commitment to credibility.

Adetayo further expressed confidence in his clearance, noting that his party had selected him based on his qualifications and adherence to the stipulated requirements.