Mr. Agboke said the culprits are facing charges ranging from theft of voting materials, voter bribery, hooliganism, and disturbance of public peace during the 2016 gubernatorial election.
The Ondo State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said 21 electoral offenders are still facing trial following their involvement in electoral malpractice during the 2016 governorship election of the state.
Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, announced the development addressing journalists in Akure, the capital city.
Mr. Agboke said the culprits are facing charges ranging from theft of voting materials, voter bribery, hooliganism, and disturbance of public peace during the 2016 gubernatorial election.
“Twenty-one electoral offenders are still facing trial in various courts for their involvement in electoral malpractices during the 2016 governorship election in the state,” he said.
The REC explained that the commission has been working tirelessly through its legal team to ensure appropriate justice is served on the culprits in order to deter future electoral malpractice.
Mr. Agboke also disclosed that at least 374,000 permanent voters cards (PVCs) are still domiciled in the office of the commission and have yet to be collected by their owners.
He stated that the PVCs, which have been sent to the various local government offices of the Ondo State INEC, could change the political landscape in the state if the owners would claim them.
He begged journalists to help use their various media in sensitizing the public on the importance of the cards in the conduct of transparent and credible elections in the state.
Mr. Agboke also explained that the commission has recorded a total of 1,112 PVCs through interstate transfers and another 2,965 through intrastate transfers.
According to him, the commission has also recorded 1,919 defaced PVCs and a total 1, 352 of misplaced cards.
The REC also revealed that the commission has created six additional registration centers in the state in order to ease the process of voter registration.
Mr. Agboke promised that the commission would be transparent to all political parties and major stakeholders in the state’s electoral process.
