ODIEC to Conduct Election into New 33 LCDAs in February 2024

Fidelis David in Akure

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) yesterday said it has put in place measures to conduct elections into the offices of the chairman and vice chairman in the newly created Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.

This came almost a month after the state Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), assented to the bill, despite protests from some communities who described it as a political exercise aimed at ceding their ancestral lands to other communities.

However, ODIEC Chairman, Dr. Joseph Aremo, at a stakeholders meeting on the issuance of Notice of Election and presentation of timetable and schedule of activities for the 33 LCDAs said the election would hold between October 6 and 21, 2023, and campaign for the council poll commences November 17, 2023.

While noting that the date of the local government election remains February 17, 2023, Aremo clarified that accent to the bill creating the LCDAs by Governor Akeredolu made it mandatory to involve them in the conduct of the council poll.

The ODIEC chairman emphasised that the commission would continue to work in line with the constitution, and urged all stakeholders to abide by the guidelines of the conduct of the election.

In the new local government reform, Akoko has five LCDAs, Akure and Owo have four each while Ondo and Ilaje have three each. Idanre, Ose, Ile-Oluji and Okitipupa have two each, while Ifedore, Ese-Odo, Odigbo and Irele have one LCDA each.