The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has announced a new date for the state’s local government elections, now scheduled for January 18, 2025.
This decision was disclosed by ODIEC Chairman, Dr. Joseph Aremo, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the commission’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday.
The election, initially set for December 16, 2023, had previously been postponed to February 17 and later to July 13. However, due to continued challenges, including non-compliance by political parties with electoral guidelines, the election was further delayed indefinitely before this latest date was set.
Dr. Aremo clarified that the election was never canceled but rescheduled to ensure adherence to proper electoral processes. He assured the public that ODIEC is committed to conducting a free, fair, and credible election, emphasizing that transparency will be maintained throughout the process.
Political parties that had already conducted primaries before the postponements were urged to submit their validated list of candidates to the commission. Aremo also outlined key dates leading up to the election:
- Political party primaries and candidate validations are set for November 25 and December 7.
- The deadline for submitting candidate particulars and official lists is December 9.
- Candidate substitutions can be made between December 12 and December 13.
- Collection and submission of nomination forms will take place from December 16 to December 18.
- Campaign activities will begin on December 23 and end at midnight on January 16, 2025.
In preparation for the elections, ODIEC plans to distribute non-sensitive materials to the 18 local governments between January 6 and January 10, 2025.
Olaoluwa Adesanya, the State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), expressed confidence in ODIEC’s preparations and confirmed IPAC’s commitment to participating in the upcoming elections, assuring the commission of their full cooperation.
