The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC, has begun the screening of candidates to participate in the April 18 local government election in the state.
The exercise is being carried out at the headquarters of the commission in Akure.
Speaking to journalists, chairman of the commission, Professor Yomi Dinakin disclosed that the ongoing exercise had only 27 chairmanship candidates from nine political parties that have indicated interest to participate in the council polls.
Professor Dinakin noted that according to law, the screening was to show consistency and clarification of candidate form, payment of tax, evidence of development levy and qualification.
The chairman of the commission noted that the electoral law of the state had it that candidates must have been sponsored by his/her political party and which the commission has keyed into.
Professor Dinakin insisted that the indication of participation does not mean that political parties must present candidates, saying that some parties only fielded candidates for one or two local governments.
Some of the chairmanship candidates described the screening exercise as transparent and would assist in avoiding litigation over fake credentials.
Meanwhile, the vice-chairmanship candidates who had earlier scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed to a date that will be communicated by the commission due to public holiday declared by the state government.
Similarly, screening of candidates for the position of councilor would hold at the area offices of the commission across the eighteen local government areas.
Olumide Abudu
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