The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that no fewer than 19 political parties have notified the commission about the conduct of their primaries for the governorship election in the state, The Punch reports.
The Punch said that the commission had earlier fixed April for the Party primaries, while fixing November 16, 2024 for the main governorship election in the state.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola disclosed this during a meeting with the representatives of political parties at the commission’s office in Akure, on Thursday.
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According to him, the political parties that have notified the commission include the All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, the Accord Party, the Action Alliance, the African Action Congress, the African Democratic Congress, the African Democratic Party, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Others are the Allied Peoples Movement, the Action Peoples Party, the Boot Party, the Labour Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, the National Rescue Movement, the Peoples Redemption Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Youth Party, the Young Progressives Party and the Zenith Labour Party.
The REC said, “The commission received notification from the political parties for the conduct of primaries for the governorship election exercise billed to commence from April 6 to 27.”
“ The meeting is an opportunity to engage with the political parties on the upcoming party primaries” which represented a critical juncture in the democratic journey in the state. She stressed the role of political parties in ensuring the success and integrity of the process cannot be overemphasised.
Babalola urged all parties to adhere strictly to their guidelines, rules, and regulations set forth in their constitutions as well all electoral laws in conduct of their primaries next month.
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Meanwhile, as the APC in Ondo State prepares for its primary election next month, a group known as the Omoluabi Coalition Group has advised the party to thoroughly screen the aspirants and ensure that the most qualified among them is picked as the candidate of the party for the November 16 governorship election.
The Director General of the Omoluabi Coalition Group, Comrade Tunji Balogun, gave the advice while speaking in Akure, the state capital.
He, however, recommended that one of the aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, was the best among the aspirants, saying the coalition had screened all the aspirants and checked their background information before making decisions to support Chief Oke.
He described the aspirant as a grassroots politician who understood the state more than others contestants.