The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has once again rescheduled the local government election, setting a new date of January 18, 2025. This was announced by Dr. Joseph Aremo, the Chairman of ODIEC, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the commission’s headquarters in Akure.
The election has faced several delays, initially scheduled for December 16, 2023, and later postponed to February 17, 2024. It was then rescheduled to July 13, 2024, before being indefinitely postponed. The latest announcement sets a definitive date for the election, bringing some clarity to the electoral process in the state.
Dr. Aremo explained that the election was not canceled but rescheduled due to political parties’ non-compliance with electoral guidelines and processes. He emphasized the commission’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible election, assuring residents of the transparency of the exercise.
“We are fully prepared to ensure that the upcoming local government election will be conducted in a manner that upholds democratic principles,” Aremo stated. He also called on political parties that had already conducted primaries before the postponement to submit the validated list of candidates to the commission.
ODIEC outlined the revised timeline for the electoral process. The completion of political parties’ primaries and validation of candidates is scheduled to take place from November 25 to December 7, 2024. The final day for the submission of candidate forms and lists by political parties is set for December 9, 2024.
Political parties will have the opportunity to substitute candidates between December 12 and December 13, 2024. The collection and submission of nomination forms will occur from December 16 to December 18, 2024.
Political campaigns are scheduled to begin on December 23, 2024, and will conclude by midnight on January 16, 2025. In preparation for the election, the distribution of non-sensitive materials to the 18 local government areas will take place between January 6 and January 10, 2025.
Dr. Aremo urged all political parties and stakeholders to adhere to the revised schedule and ensure their participation aligns with the commission’s guidelines, setting the stage for a smooth electoral process in January.
