By Sade Adewale
As Nigerians gear up for tomorrow’s general elections, expected to be keenly contested, all arrangement is now set for a hitch-free polls.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has distributed sensitive materials to all local government offices across Ondo State for onward distribution to various political wards.
Accreditation and voting, according to INEC source, will begin 8.30 am and voting will end 2.30 pm.
18 political parties will be participating in the general elections slated for February Saturday 25 and March 11, 2023 across the country.
The major political parties and their candidates are: 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 and others.
Visits to all the local government offices of the electoral body by The Hope showed that all the materials have been received in the presence of political parties’ representatives.
Report from Ondo city said sensitive materials have been deployed to the INEC headquarters at the local government.
During the distribution of the materials, INEC official, Mr Oladele Ayoola, assured that the materials will be given maximum security at the local government areas.
Ayoola disclosed that Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems, BVAS, have equally been distributed to the council areas.
Report from Ondo North senatorial district confirmed that sensitive election materials have gotten to all the local government offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, offices across the local government areas in the Ondo North District. The Hope can confirm.
When our correspondent visited INEC offices in Owo, Ikare and Okeagbe, in Owo, Akoko Northeast, Northwest local governments respectively yesterday, the places were busy as people were seen moving the materials.
Security agents were present providing tight security cover for the materials.
Though none of the local government electoral officers were ready to talk as they claimed to be busy, while others said they were not authorized to talk to the press but competent sources at the various offices of the commission visited confirmed the arrival of the election materials at the local governments.
In the same vein, security agents were seen patrolling streets of major towns in the district in a show of force and to send strong signals to those who may be planning to cause trouble during the election.
From Ore, headquarters of Odigbo Local Government election materials has arrived Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state.
Our correspondent who visited the Independent National Electoral Commission Office(INEC) office gathered that the election materials arrived on Wednesday.
It was also gathered that security agents, Police, Department of Security service (DSS) were deployed to the venue.
Some residents who spoke with our correspondent under the condition of anonymity while expressing delight over the arrival of election materials, promised to exercise thier franchise without any fear or duress.
Report from Okitipupa said security has been beefed up at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Okitipupa, the headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government.
The personnel of the Nigeria Army, Nigerian Police, and Nigeria Civil Defence and Safety Corps (NSCDC) were seen on guard at the INEC office as it has taken delivery of sensitive materials for the elections.
Speaking with our correspondent, the INEC official in charge of Okitipupa, Mr. Adedayo Fakorede said, they had taken delivery of all sensitive materials to be used for the elections on Saturday.
Fakorede also said it had conducted screening for successful ad-hoc staff and they would be dispatched to their units and wards on Friday.
