The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Saturday that the collation of results for the Ondo State governorship election will begin at 11pm.
INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, shared the update in Akure, the state capital, outlining the electoral body’s plans for the process.
He explained that once the collation commences at the State Collation Centre, it will continue uninterrupted until a winner is declared. “By exactly 11 pm this evening, we are going to start the state collation, and once we begin, it will be a marathon. We won’t leave until the winner is declared,” Ajayi said.
He assured that the exercise would continue through the night, with the commission hopeful that it would conclude by Sunday morning. “By 6 am tomorrow, we expect a winner to emerge,” he added.
As of the latest update, Ajayi noted that seven local governments had already completed their collation. He projected that by midnight or early morning, more than half of the results would be in. “I’m confident that by 6 am, everything will likely be concluded,” the National Commissioner stated.
Ajayi also explained that some results were delayed due to challenges in reaching certain riverine and remote areas. “Some local governments are very far, with one about 190 kilometers from Akure and across a river. We have to wait for them to return, often by motorbike, before the results are transported to Akure,” he said.
