By Jubril Bada

|

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC, has announced that  election into the newly created 33 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state will be conducted on  February 17,2024.

    The election will hold alongside the local government elections.

The State Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Joseph Aremo disclosed this yesterday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the headquarters of the commission in Akure.

It would be recalled that on September 8 this year, the State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu signed the bill creating the 33 LCDAs into law.

The newly created LCDAs are to co-exist with the 18 LGAs in the state, bringing the total number of local councils to 51

According to the chairman, only the election into the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman for the LCDAs will only be conducted.

He explained that the commission will conveniently conduct the election with the local government polls for the state to have democracy extended to the grassroots.

While issuing the notice of election into the newly created LCDAs to all relevant stakeholders and political parties to conduct their primaries, Aremo noted that forms for the positions of chairman and vice chairman are free to encourage political parties to participate in the election.

Conduct of political parties’ primaries and observation of same by the commission will start from Friday October 6 to Saturday October 2023, while the collection of nomination forms (EC4C) will commence on Monday October 23 till Friday October 27, 2023.

Aremo said that campaign by political parties will commence on Friday November 17,2023 in compliance with the law.

He said that Tuesday October 31,2023 is the closing date for submission of nomination forms (EC4C) by political parties

Speaking with journalists, the State Chairman of Action Democratic Congress, ADC, Mr.Olaide Rasheed expressed confidence in the commission following the assurance given by Aremo to conduct free, fair and transparent elections.