BY DAYO JOHNSON
AKURE—ABOUT 1.6million eligible voters were registered during the recently concluded registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ondo State.

This came as the Commission released names of 103 candidates cleared to contest the House of Assembly elections in the 18 council areas of the state on the platform of 10 parties.

The list was released yesterday without that of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP which according to the Commission, was still pending.
The 103 candidates cleared cut across the Labour Party, Action Congress of Nigeria, All Progressive Grand Alliance, Social Democratic Mega Party, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Congress of Progressive Change, Kowa party, and the National Conscience party.

Others are Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, National Transformational Party and Africa Renaissance party

The Administrative Secretary of INEC in the state, Dr. Folarin Awujoola speaking on the just concluded registration exercise said in Akure gave the figure of those that registered across the state.

According to him, the highest number of eligible voters was recorded in Akure South Local government area of the state where about 251,468person registered while Akoko South East Local government recorded the lowest figure of 26, 875 persons

Awujola described the exercise in the state as successful with the support of corps members and relevant security agencies.

Specifically, Awujoola commended all the security operatives in the state “for ensuring that law and order were maintained at the registration centres across the state

According to him, ‘the exercise was conducted smoothly in Ondo state with little hitches when the programme started. But we later experienced tremendous improvement during the period which the exercise lasted.

“I want to salute the police and the civil defence corps for their cooperation and dedication towards ensuring that the whole exercise is successful”