At least 18 political parties will participate in the local government council election holding today across the 203 wards of the 18 local government areas of Ondo State.

The Ondo State Independent Electoral  Commission (ODEIC) on Thursday said the commission was set for the election, adding that all sensitive materials would have been moved to all the 18 local government areas of the state by Friday. 

The commission, which assured the participating political parties of free, fair and credible election, urged politicians and political parties not to see the election as a do or die affair.

The ODEIC chairman,  Professor Gbenga Ige, explained that the commission has trained over seven thousand adhoc staff for the election, while the state police command  has also deployed about six thousand officers to prevent a  breakdown of law and order at the polling centres.

However, the leadership of some political parties, including the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), had earlier registered their intention not to participate in the first council election in the administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in the state.

But no fewer than 18 political parties will participate in today’s  election.

The state government had hinged the delay in the conduct of the council election in the state on the pending litigation at the Supreme Court instituted by the 18 local governments sacked by the state government in 2009.

The PDP chairman had challenged their sack by Governor Mimiko but had to withdraw the suit after the governor joined the PDP in October 2014 .

However, some residents of the state have expressed divergent views about the election. Many of the residents who spoke with Saturday Tribune expressed their readiness to participate in the election with a promise that they will come out in their large numbers to vote for the candidates of their choice.

One of the residents, Adamolekun Hosea said, “we have been waiting for this particular election because it has to do with grass-roots administration. Since the advent of this government, no council election has been held and we are anxious to elect our leaders at the local government level.”

However, the APC  in the state has called on the people of the state not to participate in the elections,  saying there is no authentic voters register for the conduct of the election.

The party, in a statement issued by its Director of Publicity, Steve Otaloro, said  the voters register being contemplated for use  has not been reviewed since the last general election as required by the law.