LG Poll Holds Today in Ondo Without  Main Opposition Party

By James Sowole in  Akure

Though without the participation of the major opposition party, All Progressive Congress (APC), the much publicised election into local government administration holds in Ondo State today.

During the exercise, electorates are expected to elect chairmen in the 18 local government areas and 203 wards.

The election is the first to be held since the incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko took over power in February 2009.

Mimiko had on assumption of office dissolved the elected council administration and replaced them with Caretaker committee that the state government review every six months.

In order to ensure participation of residents of the state the government had directed that workers should close at 12.00pm so that whoever wanted to travel for the election could do so.

At the headquarters of the Ondo State Independent National Electoral Commission (ODIEC), located on Oba-Ile Road in Akure, the office was a beehive of activities.

When THISDAY got to the office, staff of the commission were seen moving election materials to various local governments.

Equally,  ad-hoc staff were seen collecting materials like identification tags, vests and caps made for the election.

The government had already announced restriction of movements from 7:00am to 4:00pm.

ODIEC said 17 political parties would be participating in the election, which the APC described as diversionary and unnecessary.

The APC had directed its sypathisers to stay at home remain calm saying the election could never be free alleging that  the ODIEC officials were card carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).