The date for the state’s local government elections has been set by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission as December 16, 2023.
Dr. Joseph Aremo, the chairman of ODIEC, revealed this at a stakeholders’ gathering on Friday in Akure, the state capital.
The chairman claimed that by giving political parties and other interested parties a 360-day notice before the election, the commission had officially begun the electoral process.
The ODIEC boss also disclosed that the commission had rolled out guidelines to stakeholders on the conduct of the council election in order to ensure that democracy does not suffer at the grassroots.
He said, “The commission is expecting interested registered political parties to collect forms at no cost from ODIEC.”
He added that the commission had issued forms EC009A, EC009B, EC009C, EC009D, and EC009E for the positions of chairmen, vice chairmen, and councilors to stakeholders.
Aremo stated that the conduct of party primaries shall be observed by the commission as part of its statutory responsibilities from April 10 to June 10, 2023, adding that campaigns by political parties will commence by July 17 to midnight of December 14, 2023, in compliance with the electoral law.
He commended the state government for supporting and empowering the commission, stressing that the commission was committed to conducting a free, fair, and credible election.