By Saheed Ibrahim

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To ensure a transparent and accountable electoral campaign towards the 2024 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the Justice, Development, and Peace Makers Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo has trained stakeholders on campaign finance tracking.

The initiative, conducted in collaboration with the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), aimed to meticulously monitor the campaign finance expenditures of political candidates for the gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

Addressing participants in Akure, Richard Akinyosotu, Project Officer at JDPMC, expressed optimism that the training would go a long way in exposing them to the concept of monitoring campaign finance towards ensuring transparency and accountability ahead of the election.

Akinyosotu said, “First thing, I want to believe we are all here because we strongly believe the fate of our dear state for the next four years will soon be decided and whatever comes out of the decisions that will be made in November will shape what becomes of our dear state at least for the next four years.

“Secondly, the reason is to open our consciousness to things that we see almost every election cycle but do not pay attention to, and in the long run, they have their effects on us.

“Thirdly, we have gathered to learn what we already know, to learn what we do not know, and to see how our little efforts can drive a great change for our personal lives and our state at large.

“Elections are not a small business; you and I know that for sure. We have seen what elections could do even to the most mature democracy in the world. You and I knew what happened in the United States four years ago for those of us who followed the news.

“And so, if a state like the U.S. could plunge into such, then we who are toddlers as far as democracy is concerned have a lot of work to do.

Participants in attendance were drawn from the 18 local government councils of Ondo State and some media professionals.