The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that a total of 19 political parties have notified the commission of their intention to participate in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election slated for Saturday, November 16, 2024.
INEC noted that the parties have also notified the commission about the conduct of their primaries for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Oluwatoyin Babalola, disclosed this during a meeting with the representatives of political parties at the commission’s office in Akure, the state capital.
According to the REC, the political parties that have notified INEC included the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), African Democratic Party (ADP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA),
Others were the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Youth Party (YP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The REC further said that the commission received notification from the political parties for the conduct of their primaries ahead of the governorship election exercise, billed to commence from April 6 to 27.
She stated that the meeting was an opportunity to engage with political parties on the upcoming party primaries and it represented a critical juncture in the democratic journey in the State
Babalola said the role of political parties in ensuring the success and integrity of the process cannot be overemphasised.
She urged all parties to adhere strictly to their guidelines, rules, and regulations outlined in their constitutions as well as all electoral laws in the conduct of their primaries next month.
The REC also advised parties to entrench the principle of internal democracy in the conduct of their primaries to reduce tension, division and pre-election cases that may arise after the conduct of the primaries.
Babalola further charged them to ensure that their primaries were conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and transparent manner to ensure the credibility of the outcomes.
