INEC LGA Office in Abia Set Ablaze

 

 

By Ayo Kehinde

 

 

The recently renovated office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ohafia Local Government Area has been set ablaze.

The incident which occurred late on Sunday night had no casualties though the building was virtually destroyed while all electoral materials and office equipment were destroyed.

According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the State, Dr. Joseph Iloh, the matter has been reported to the police for investigation.

Responding, Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee on Monday, said the Commission met today, Monday and discussed a wide-range of issues, including a disturbing report from Abia State.

He said;   “It will be recalled that only last week, the Commission reported an attack on its office in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and expressed anxiety about the impact of such attacks on electoral activities, including the ongoing expansion of voter access to Polling Units, resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), pending bye-elections, end-of-tenure elections and ultimately the 2023 General Election.

“The latest incident in Abia State is one too many. This is not the first attack on the Commission’s facilities in the State in recent times. Five months ago on 13th December 2020, the INEC LGA office in Aba South was completely burnt down while that of Arochukwu LGA was vandalised and ransacked in October 2020.

“These facilities are national assets, which must be protected. Accordingly, the Commission is convening an emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) next week to discuss this disturbing trend.

The Commission has reassured Nigerians that all activities in relation to the ongoing expansion of voter access to Polling Units and preparations for the resumption of CVR as well as all scheduled elections will proceed as planned.