The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has rescheduled the local government elections in the state to January 18, 2025.
The ODIEC Chairman, Dr. Joseph Aremo, announced the new date during a stakeholders’ meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Akure on Thursday.
Originally set for December 16, 2023, the election had previously been postponed multiple times to February 17, then July 13, and later postponed indefinitely before the latest announcement.
“Election was never cancelled but rescheduled due to non-compliance of political parties with the electoral guidelines and processes,” he said.
Aremo assured residents that the commission is fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, and credible election, emphasizing that the exercise would be transparent. He also urged political parties that had already conducted primaries before the postponement to submit their validated list of candidates to the commission.
“The completion of political parties primaries and validation of candidates will take place from November 25 to December 7
“December 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 December 12 to December 13, while the collection and submission of nomination forms will begin from December 16 until December 18.
“Campaigns by political parties will kick off on December 23 and end by midnight of January 16, 2025,” he said.
Aremo added that the distribution of non-sensitive materials to the 18 local government areas will take place between January 6 and January 10, 2025.
Meanwhile, the State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr. Olaoluwa Adesanya, expressed satisfaction with the ODIEC chairman’s update on the commission’s preparedness for the elections.
Adesanya assured both the commission and the residents of IPAC’s support and cooperation for the upcoming election.
