By Babatunde Ayedoju

It is no longer news that on Saturday November 16, the people of Ondo State will be trooping to their various polling units to decide who would be Governor for the next four years. The contest will be among candidates spread across 17 political parties.

Following the various party primaries that took place about six months ago, the various candidates have been seeking the support of voters through both interpersonal and mass media campaigns.

The parties and their candidates include Governor Lucky  Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Agboola Ajayi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olusola Ebiseni of Labour Party (LP), Olugbenga  Edema of New Nigeria People’s (NNDP), Akingboye Benson  Bamidele of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Abbass Mimiko of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and several others.

In an attempt to woo voters in the sunshine state, a lot has been said by the governorship candidates. However, a major issue that cannot be overlooked is the need for a peaceful election which has also been highlighted by various stakeholders.

In January this year, a group known as the Ondo Redemption Front (ORF) reminded the  people of Ondo State that the forthcoming gubernatorial election would be an opportunity for them to choose leaders capable of leading the state toward sustainable growth and development.

The group which spoke through its chairman, Ayodeji Ologun, at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Akure stressed the need for all hands to be on deck so that this year’s election would not only be peaceful and credible but produce leadership that is capable of delivering dividends of democracy to the masses.

About three months ago, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warned those seeking to undermine the off-cycle governorship elections in Edo (yet to be held at that time) and Ondo states to think twice, adding that their action would be viewed as an attempt to subvert the democratic process in the country.

Ribadu who was represented at the meeting by the Director of Internal Security at the NSA’s office, Hassan Yahaya Abdullahi, said that security agencies would use every lawful means to defend the integrity of the election, adding that anyone attempting to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections will face the consequence.

“To our security forces and election officials, your dedication and integrity are crucial. As the guardians of our democracy, you must ensure that every ballot is protected, every voter feels safe, and the sanctity of the election is upheld,” he said.

Likewise, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, assured that security agencies were working tirelessly to provide maximum security during the election and that the people’s votes count.

He said: “The Nigeria Police Force is putting in place all measures required to ensure a peaceful election. We will be coordinating with other security agencies to ensure that both elections take place in a peaceful and orderly manner. We are conscious of the challenges that come with such elections and all resources are being deployed.

“We have complied and set aside from the police and other security agencies all officers that will partake in the election. We will do all we need to do. The issue of non-state actors attempting to interfere with the election will be eliminated.

“They are not constitutionally involved in the election and are not supposed to be part of it. We will continue to do what we need to do to assure the people of the two states and Nigerians that the election will be peaceful and our votes count”.

Also speaking at the same meeting, chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stressed the need to protect election materials, personnel, and polling activities and reminded security forces to adhere to the rules of engagement for electoral duties.

Yakubu who noted that a peaceful campaign often leads to a peaceful election admonished political parties, candidates and their supporters to allow peace reign both during and after the governorship election.

He said, “For the security agencies, this is the time to be more vigilant. You should leave no stone unturned in dealing with any real or potential threat to the conduct of peaceful and transparent elections. Already, concerns have been expressed about the possibility of armed state and non-state actors disrupting the processes.

“With just 37 days to the Edo State governorship election and 93 days before voters in Ondo State go to the polls, we should continue to work together to ensure that the training of election officials, logistics for the movement of personnel and materials, polling and collation activities are not disrupted in any way.”

In his address to mark Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day Anniversary, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa who is also the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Ondo State governorship election, admonished politicians and political parties to be peaceful in their conduct during the election period.

His words: “Let me remind us of the need to be alive to our civic responsibility as we prepare for the November 16 Governorship Election in our dear state which is a defining moment in our political history. We must all play by the rules and recommit ourselves to a peaceful and credible election. For us as a government, we are committed to your socioeconomic well-being, so, there is no looking back. Our hands are firmly and steadily on the plough.”

Towards the end of October, the Ondo State Police Command issued a warning to purveyors of fake news and other mischief makers ahead of the state’s November 16 guber poll, saying that such action could cause a breakdown of law and order in the state.

A statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, read: “The police command emphasises the importance of verifying information before sharing or reposting, as constructive engagement is essential for fostering a peaceful environment during this pivotal time in the history of the state.”

While citing two fake and misleading videos that went viral recently – one about a supposed flood in Ore and the other about the amputation of fingers of a corpse at a mortuary in Ajowa-Akoko – the police appealed to the electorate to be critical of the information they encounter and distance themselves from those who seek to exploit the current situation for personal gain.

Meanwhile, a group identified as the Justice Development and Peace Maker Centre, also warned the electorate in Ondo State against vote selling, alleging that politicians spend more on vote-buying than campaigns.

Programme Manager of the organisation, Mr Festus Ojewunmi, who spoke in Akure during an engagement with trackers trained to track campaign finances of political parties ahead of the election, pointed out that there were many dangers posed by vote-buying to the electoral system of the country, charging all stakeholders to rise against the menace for the democratic development Nigeria.

He said, “For the past two months, we have actually deployed campaign finance trackers to track campaign finance expenditure of some selected political parties. And this time around we are actually tracking four selected political parties: PDP, APC, ZLP and NNPP. We are looking out how they are carrying out their campaigns and how they are engaging the electorate and actually the money they are spending on their campaigns. Why are we doing this?

“The 2022 Electoral Act stipulates that the maximum spending limit for any political party as gubernatorial candidate should not go beyond N1bn and to this end, we want to see if they are actually adhering to this aspect of campaign limit.”