The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Tuesday announced that thirty political parties will participate in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State.
It also informed that arrangements have been put in place 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 stated that all parties intending 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, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, African People Alliance, APA, Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, All Progressives Congress, APC and Labour Party, LP.
They also include Citizens Popular Party, CPP, Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN, Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, Democratic Peoples Congress, DPC, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Hope Democratic Party, HDP, National Unity Party, NUP, and Better Nigeria Progressive Party, BNPP.
Others are: 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 help in deepening democratic ethos 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 on the readiness of the commission to conduct a peaceful, transparent, credible and conclusive governorship election in the state.
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