The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission has again shifted the local government election in the state to January 18, 2025.

ODIEC Chairman, Dr Joseph Aremo, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the commission’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday.

Also read: INEC registers 177,914 new voters ahead of Edo, Ondo polls

The election, which was to be conducted on December 16, 2023, was postponed to February 17, and later postponed to July 13 and finally postponed indefinitely before the announcement of the new date.

“Election was never cancelled but rescheduled due to non-compliance of political parties with the electoral guidelines and processes,” he said.

Aremo, who assured residents of the commission’s readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible election, stated that the exercise would be transparent.

He urged political parties that had conducted primaries before the postponement to forward the validated list of candidates to the commission.

“The completion of political parties primaries and validation of candidates will take place from November 25 to December 7

“December 9 will be the last day for the submission of forms for particulars of candidates and the list of candidates by political parties.

“Substitution of candidates by political parties will occur from December 12 to December 13, while the collection and submission of nomination forms will begin from December 16 until December 18.

“Campaigns by political parties will kick off on December 23 and end by midnight of January 16, 2025,” he said.

Speaking further, he said that the distribution of non-sensitive materials to the 18 local governments would take place from January 6, 2025 to January 10, 2025.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Mr Olaoluwa Adesanya, expressed satisfaction with the ODIEC chairman’s presentation on the preparedness of the commission for the elections.

Adesanya assured the commission and residents of IPAC’s participation in the election.