The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the collation of Ondo State governorship election results will commence at 11 pm today, Saturday, November 16.
According to INEC National Commissioner Prof Kunle Ajayi, the exercise will be a marathon, continuing until a winner is declared. Ajayi assured that the commission will not leave the State Collation Centre until the last local government result is in.
Channels TV reported that as of 30 minutes prior to the announcement, seven local governments had already completed their collation and submitted their results. Ajayi expressed optimism that more than half of the results would be in by 12 midnight or 2 am, and hopefully, the entire exercise would be concluded by 6 am tomorrow. This timeline suggests that the commission is working diligently to ensure a timely and efficient process.
The commission is taking a meticulous approach to ensure accuracy and transparency. However, some results are being delayed due to the state's geography. Ajayi explained that certain local governments are far away, with one being 190 kilometres from Akure and requiring a river crossing. This has necessitated the use of motorbikes to transport results, which will then be transferred to vehicles for transport to Akure.
Ajayi's statement reads in part:
“By exactly 11 pm this evening, we are going to start the state collation, and once we start, it will be a marathon. Until we declare the winner, we won’t leave here."Source: Legit.ng