Journalists and media organizations intending to cover the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State have been invited to register on the dedicated online portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Naija News reports that the Ondo election is fixed for November 16, 2024.

INEC, in a statement issued on Monday, announced that the online portal for the accreditation of reporters will be activated today, Monday, September 9, 2024.

The portal will close automatically at midnight on Thursday, October 31, 2024.

The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, conveyed this information in a statement released on Monday.

He emphasized that media organizations wishing to send journalists and technical personnel to cover the election must submit their applications through the website https://imap.inecnigeria.org.

“We implore prospective applicants to do the needful well ahead of the 31st October deadline.

“There will be no deadline extension, while late submission will not be entertained,” the statement added.

‘I Do Not Need My Brother’s Endorsement’ – Ondo Guber Candidate, Mimiko Declares

Meanwhile, a week ago, the governorship candidate representing the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the upcoming election in Ondo State, Abbas Mimiko, declared that he does not require the endorsement of his elder brother, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, to secure the position of governor.

Naija News reports that Mimiko made this declaration on Thursday while speaking at the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Akure, the state capital.

Mimiko expressed his belief that the state is not yet prepared for a rotational governorship system, emphasizing that his brother’s tenure as governor would pale in comparison to the administration he intends to establish if he emerges victorious in the governorship election scheduled for November 16th.

Recall that Olusegun Mimiko served as the Governor of Ondo State from 2009 to 2017.

However, his younger brother, who is now aspiring for the same position in the state, said: “I don’t want him to give me any endorsement. What I need is the people, the endorsement of the masses, and the people of Ondo State. I won’t vote for somebody whose brother is raising his hand saying ‘I became governor, come and vote for my brother!’ No.”

The ZLP candidate, who further said he would personally vote and campaign against such a person, stressed, “I want to be governor so that I can showcase my plans. Iroko’s administration will be child’s play with what we have on the ground for Ondo.

“If the brother is capable, he should present his credentials so that we can assess him as an individual. His brother has run an administration; we can then add one extra mark, because the brother did well, believing that perhaps he will do well too.

“So, I don’t want to be referenced. You can reference me as part of the success of the ‘Iroko’ phenomenon because we planned many of those good programmes together, but I can’t claim those programmes. I was not the governor; I want to be governor so that I can showcase my plans. Iroko’s administration will be a child play with what we have on the ground for Ondo.”

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