ONDO STATE ELECTION: 18 RECS TO BE USED

Ondo: 18 RECs to be used for election – Prof Attahiru Jega


HAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, yesterday, assured that all the votes cast in the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State wouldl count and that the winner of the election would be declared Sunday morning.

Jega, who spoke in Akure during a stakeholder meeting with all the political parties said that the Ondo State elections would be a tremendous improvement on the one held in Edo State last July. He also declared that the commission would not remove any of the already accredited election observing groups without clear evidence of partisanship.

He said that 18 Resident Electoral Commissioners, REC from states outside the South West would act as Electoral Officers in the 18 council areas of the state

The Chairman assured that the election would be free, fair and credible and that the electoral body would create an enabling atmosphere for all political parties without any bias.

Jega said the commission had done its best in discharging its responsibilities even as he admitted that the commission was not perfect but had been able to improve on the challenges it faced in previous elections especially that of Edo State.

"We are committed to conducting the best election in Ondo State come October 20 and we want to assure all that we are ready to put in all the professionalism and integrity that are required to this election.”

He called on the political parties to report any INEC official found to have compromised in the October 20 election.Jega said that the commission would however not bulge to spurious allegation but added that all allegations would be investigated.