The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has set a new date for the local government elections, scheduling them for January 18, 2025.
News About Nigeria reports that the elections will cover all 18 local government areas and 203 wards in the state.
At a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the state capital, ODIEC Chairman Dr. Joseph Aremo announced the new date.
This follows the previous postponement of the elections, initially rescheduled for July 13, 2024, and later put on hold indefinitely.
According to Dr. Aremo, the elections were not cancelled but merely rescheduled due to political parties’ non-compliance with electoral guidelines and processes.
He explained that the commission grew tired of continuous rescheduling, prompting the need for a new date.
Dr. Aremo assured residents of the state’s readiness to conduct free, fair, and credible elections, emphasising transparency.
He urged political parties that had already conducted primaries to submit their validated candidate lists to the commission.
The commission outlined the upcoming activities, including the completion of political parties’ primaries and validation of candidates from November 25 to December 7, 2024.
”Election was never cancelled but rescheduled due to non-compliance of political parties with the electoral guidelines and processes,” NAN quoted Aremo as saying.
“The completion of political parties’ primaries and validation of candidates will take place from Nov. 25 to Dec. 7
“Dec. 9 will be the last day for the submission of forms for particulars of candidates and the list of candidates by political parties.
“Substitution of candidates by political parties will occur from Dec. 12 to Dec. 13, while the collection and submission of nomination forms will begin from Dec. 16 until Dec. 18.
“Campaigns by political parties will kick off on Dec. 23 and end by midnight of Jan. 16, 2025; distribution of non-sensitive materials to the 18 local governments would take place from Jan. 6, 2025, to Jan. 10, 2025.”
