Ondo Guber | 30 political parties to participate in poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Tuesday announced that thirty political parties will participate in the November 26, governorship election in Ondo State.

It also informed that it has put in another arrangement to ensure smooth accreditation and voting process during the poll.

This it said would reduce the rigorous process being experienced by the commission during the poll.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, disclosed at a press conference held in Akure, the state capital.

Agbaje said all parties intended to participate in the contest have concluded their primaries as at on Monday.

The REC listed the parties as Alliance for Democracy, (AD), Social Democratic Party,( SDP), People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), African People Alliance, (APA), Peoples Redemption Party, (PRP), All Progressives Congress, (APC) and Labour Party,( LP).

It also include Citizens Popular Party,( CPP), People’s Party of Nigeria, (PPN) ,Democratic People’s Party, (DPP), Democratic People’s Congress, (DPC), New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP), Hope Democratic Party,( HDP), National Unity Party, (NUP), and Better Nigeria Progressive Party,( BNPP).

Others were: Young Democratic Party, (YDP), Accord Party, (AP), All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Progressive Peoples Alliance, (PPA), African Democratic Congress, (ADC), Action Alliance,( AA) , Unity of Nigeria (UPN), KOWA Party, (KP), People for Democratic Change (PDC), Independent Democrats, (ID), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), National Conscience Party, (NCP, United Democratic Party,(UDP), United Progressive Party,( UPP) and Advanced Congress of Democrats, (ACD).

Agbaje who appreciated the peaceful conduct of political parties during their primaries, noted that the standard of the conduct exhibited will benefit the deepening of democracy in the state.

His words: Going by the scheduled election timetable, the party campaigns for the election have taken off and open politicking is gathering momentum.

“On this note, I wish to appeal to the political parties and politicians/ contestants to exercise restraint in their pronouncements and avoid getting involved in verbal wars and inflammatory comments capable of igniting political tension and provoking rancour that could threaten the peace currently being enjoyed in the state.

“The current political campaigns should record a significant improvement. It should be violent -free, issue-based, enriching and peaceful. It is my belief that a peaceful campaign exercise is a likely harbinger to the conduct of a peaceful election.”

Agbaje, however, assured the stakeholders the readiness of the Commission to conduct a peaceful, transparent and credible and conclusive governorship election in the state.