WorldStage Newsonline– The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that as preparations are in full swing for the Ondo State Governorship election on November 16, 2024, while the Anambra State Governorship election will be held on November 8, 2025.
Speaking at the fourth regular consultative meeting with political parties, held Thursday, in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, assured party leaders and stakeholders of the Commission’s commitment to smooth electoral processes.
Yakubu explained that the meeting marked the final quarterly consultative session for the year, with the focus on the preparations for the Ondo polls.
He said, “The Commission is also glad to report that the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) commenced today in Ondo State. For the next five days (17th – 21st October 2024), the cards will be available for collection at each of the 203 wards across the State. Thereafter, the cards will be available for collection in our 18 Local Government Area offices in the State for one week (23rd – 29th October 2024).
“As earlier announced, the centres will be open to citizens from 9am – 5pm daily. A document containing the names and location addresses of the 221 collection centres has already been uploaded to our website for public information. Hard copies are also included in your folders for this meeting. As usual, we appeal to political parties to support the Commission in mobilising registered voters to collect their PVCs.
“To make the process easier, we have also uploaded the register containing the names and photographs of new voters (fresh registrants, transfers and applications for replacement of lost or damaged PVCs) to our website to facilitate a seamless collection of the cards.
Turning attention to future elections, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election will take place on November 8, 2025.
According to him, the Commission will officially issue the notice for the election on November 13, 2024, in compliance with the Electoral Act’s mandate for a 360-day notice period. Party primaries in Anambra will run from March 20 to April 10, 2025, with the final candidate list to be published on June 9, 2025.
Yakubu, however, urged political parties to align their schedules with the INEC timetable to avoid last-minute rushes and logistical challenges. He emphasized the need for collaboration between INEC and political parties in ensuring seamless elections across the country.
In his remark, the National Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, also urged Nigerian leaders to address the country’s pressing economic challenges in order to restore public faith in the democratic process.
He emphasized the need for urgent government action to ease the hardships facing millions of Nigerians, which he said had dampened voter morale.
Dantalle also urged INEC to improve its processes ahead of the Ondo State gubernatorial election scheduled for November 16, 2024.
He called on all stakeholders—political parties, civil society, and security agencies—to join in voter education, sensitization, and mobilization efforts. IPAC, he said, would lead these efforts from the front.
He emphasized the importance of issue-based campaigns by political parties, warning against politics of bitterness, and urged INEC to ensure transparency by addressing key logistical challenges, such as the timely delivery of election materials and the effective operation of its BVAS and IReV portals. The chairman highlighted the need for clear communication during the collation of results to avoid suspicion, citing incidents from the Edo State election where delays caused tension.
Additionally, Dantalle called for stricter action against vote trading, urging security agents to prosecute both buyers and sellers of votes, along with their sponsors, in order to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
