Even though, subtle campaigns and declaration of intention to run for public office in has started long before now, the Independent National Electoral Commission has officially declared open, campaign and political activities leading to the elections.
As reported by The Punch, INEC has issued Notice of election for the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Prof. Abdul-Ganiyu Raji, at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday said this was in accordance with Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
Raji explained that the section provided that INEC must give Notice of Election not later than 90 days to the governorship election.
According to the notice, campaign by political parties for the election would begin from April 15, 2018 and end midnight of July 12, 2018.
He advised political parties to submit names of their agents by June 30, 2018, with a warning that any party that failed to meet up with the date would not have agents for the governorship election.
As part of efforts to ensure more people register for the election, the REC said 531 registration centres across the state had been created.
He noted that the continuous voters registration in the new registration centres would commence between Wednesday April 11 and April 16, 2018 simultaneously in the state across 177 registration areas.
Meanwhile, Dailypost also reported that, ahead of the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State and the 2019 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday resuscitated the State Implementation Committee on Voters Education and Publicity (SICVEP).
The committee is made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Information, State Ministry of Information, the Ekiti State Office of the National Orientation Agency, Ministry of Women Affairs, the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State and the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
Ahead of the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State and the 2019 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday resuscitated the State Implementation Committee on Voters Education and Publicity (SICVEP).
The committee is made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Information, State Ministry of Information, the Ekiti State Office of the National Orientation Agency, Ministry of Women Affairs, the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State and the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Speaking during the inaugural meeting of the committee in Ado-Ekiti, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the State, Prof. Abdul-Ganiyu Olayinka Raji, stressed the importance of passing accurate information on guidelines for the on-going voters’ registration and other relevant voter education.
He said this was targeted towards ensuring the success of the governorship election this year and the general elections scheduled for 2019.
The REC, who was represented by the Administration Secretary of the Commission in the State, Dr Omoleke Muslim, expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the on-going voter registration.
The official noted that the number of the newly registered voters had exceeded the number recorded in the previous exercise by over 20 per cent.
He listed activities lined up for the committee in preparation for the elections to include organising implementation meetings with relevant stakeholders, voter education at the grassroots, as well as production and distribution of information, education and communication materials.
He cautioned politicians against making inflammatory statements and also called on journalists to refrain from reporting stories that were capable of heating up the polity.
INEC further appealed to all stakeholders to act responsibly before, during and after the gubernatorial election.
