Jubril Bada

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), along with other electoral stakeholders, yesterday inspected election sensitive materials to be distributed to all 18 Local Government areas of Ondo State today (Thursday) ahead of the governorship election on Saturday.
At the Central Bank of Nigeria’s branch in Akure, the state capital, INEC inspected the ballot papers and result sheets for the election.
The stakeholders present during the inspection included representatives of political parties, security agencies, observers, media, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), among others.
After conducting all the stakeholders around the materials, wrapped and sealed local government by local government, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, said the essence of the inspection of the sensitive materials was to show transparency.
She said the sensitive materials were received on Monday, and the Commission scheduled Wednesday for the inspection.
According to her, “They (stakeholders) have seen all the sensitive materials as they were received.
“The materials were well wrapped and sealed accordingly, local government by local government.
“Tomorrow (Thursday), all the materials will be distributed, local government by local government.”
The distribution of the sensitive materials, she said, would start with the farthest local government and end with the nearest local government, which is Akure South Local Government.
Speaking with newsmen, the representative of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Olumide Saporo, expressed hope that the election would hold, having seen that the materials were intact with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the state and that security agencies were prepared for the polls.
Also, the representative of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Mrs. Faith Nwadiche, who commended the electoral body for its preparation for the election, said that with the election materials on the ground, the election would hold.
The State Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Mr. Dotun Ojon, expressed belief in INEC’s ability to distribute the materials to local governments with fairness.