The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says 19 political parties will be participating in the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.
Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, said that the political parties have notified the Commission of their readiness to participate in the poll.
Speaking during a meeting with the representatives of political parties in Akure, Babalola added that the parties have notified the Commission about the conduct of their primaries for the governorship election.
According to her, the political parties include the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Accord Party, Action Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, ADC, African Democratic Party, ADP and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
Others are Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Action Peoples Party, Boot Party, Labour Party, LP, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, National Rescue Movement, Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Social Democratic Party, SDP, Youth Party, Young Progressives Party, YPP and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.
Babalola noted that the meeting was an opportunity to engage with political parties on the upcoming party primaries, adding that the role of political parties in ensuring the success and integrity of the process cannot be overemphasized.
She tasked all parties to adhere strictly to their guidelines, rules, and the regulations in their constitutions in the conduct of their primaries next month.
The commissioner advised parties to entrench the principle of internal democracy in the conduct of their primaries to reduce tension, division and pre-election cases that may arise after the conduct of the primaries.
Babalola charged them to ensure that their primaries are conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and transparent manner to ensure the credibility of the outcomes.
