INEC Publishes Final List of Candidates for Ondo Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on 13^th June 2024 published the final list of candidates for the Ondo State Governorship election. This followed the Commission’s earlier publication of the personal particulars of the candidates and their running mates after the initial primaries conducted by the political parties.

According to a statement by National Commissioner, Mr. Sam Olumekun mni, two political parties, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) conducted fresh primaries to replace their earlier nominated candidates and their running mates by the deadline of 10^th June 2024, in line with Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022.

At the same time, five political parties – the African Action Congress (AAC), the Action Democratic Party (ADP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Peoples Redemption Party 9PRP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) replaced their running mates only.

“Overall, 17 political parties are fielding candidates for the election,” Olumekun affirmed. “No political party nominated a female candidate while one candidate nominated by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is a person with disability (a paraplegic).”

The National Commissioner also noted that with the publication of the final list, political parties were not permitted to start their campaigns in public from 19^th June to midnight of 14^th November.

He also advised the parties: “As parties commence this critical phase of the election, the Commission once again reminds candidates, agents and their supporters of the provision of the law and the Commission’s guidelines governing such activity. For emphasis, parties shall conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum devoid of inciting language, violence, voter inducement and other infractions in accordance with the provisions of Section 92-97 of the Electoral Act 2022.

The Ondo State Governorship Election holds on Saturday 16th November 2024.