OVER 40 companies have indicated interest and have been invited for a live presentation for a virtual or practical demonstration of electronic voting machines that would be used for the Ondo state governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has said.

The commission also stressed that so far, eight companies had made presentations through a combination of physical and virtual means, before an audience of its members and a team of directors and ICT staff.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman (Information and Voter Education Committee), Festus Okoye, stated these in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.

The announcement of the figure came as the Electoral Commissioner in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State, Othuke Egwuterai, informed that 207,238 permanent voter cards had been collected ahead of the election scheduled for October 10.

Okoye said, “So far, eight companies have made presentations through a combination of physical and virtual means, before an audience of commission members, a team of directors and ICT staff. Each company had 30 minutes for its presentation, while the question and answer session was also allocated 30 minutes.”

INEC seeks support of religious leaders

Meanwhile, 10 days to the Ondo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday called for the support of religious leaders in ensuring a peaceful conduct of poll.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Rufus Akeju, during an interactive session with religious leaders in the state, held at the INEC headquarters in Akure, said that it was very imperative for the leaders to sensitise and educate their congregation on need to avoid violence.

TMG seeks alternative agency for INEC

In another development, a coalition of over 400 civil rights organisations under the aegis of Transition Monitoring Group on Wednesday demanded an urgent need for an electoral reform that would seek solutions to the challenges in previous electoral processes.

The organisation called for the unbundling of the Independent National Electoral Commission and its replacement with “agencies such as Political Party Registration and Regulatory Commission.”

The Chairperson of TMG, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, made demands in a statement in Abuja to commemorate the 60th independence anniversary of Nigeria.