By DAYO JOHNSON

AKURE—THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, dashed the hopes of those asking it to shift the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State because of the Holy Pilgrimage.

It said there would not be any fresh registration of voters as clamoured for by political parties in the state.

Addressing a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Ondo State INEC and the state Police Command in Akure, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, said the date will not be shifted.

Some politicians and the Muslim community in the state had written to the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, to consider the number of muslims that would be disenfranchised if the election held on that date since they would be performing the Holy Pilgrimage.

Orebiyi told the stakeholders, who were expecting the verdict of the commission, that after” a thorough deliberation, it has been decided that the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State stays.”

However, on the decision not to allow for fresh registration, the state Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN,  Mr. Adegboyega Adedipe, said the party would challenge INEC’s position in court.

Adedipe argued that INEC had no right to change the rule at this critical stage, especially when there was a provision in the electoral law that allowed such exercise.

But Orebiyi attributed the commission’s decision to the need to prevent a recurrence of the conflict that arose in Edo State recently when INEC attempted to conduct a similar exercise.

He said INEC will conduct a nationwide continuous registration of voter after the governorship election in Ondo State.
Orebiyi said: “The implication of this is that those who did not register during the voter-registration last year would still not be able to do so this year.

“We, therefore, wish to advise all those so affected to stay in their respective homes on Saturday, October 20 and not to come near any polling unit on that day.”

The occasion was attended by Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 11, Mr. Orubebe Ebiekimi; the Commander, 32 Artilery Brigade, Akure, Brig.Gen. Mohammed Ali; and the Commissioner of Police in Ondo, Mr. Danladi Mshebwala.

Fourteen political parties were represented at the meeting and they appealed to INEC to create a level playing ground for all the parties.