By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Again, hoodlums have set ablaze the recently renovated Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia state.
For this reason the top brass of the Commission met at its Abuja Headquarters Monday, May 10, 2021, to discuss a wide-range of issues, including the disturbing report from Abia state which was reported by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Dr. Joseph Iloh.
In a press statement signed by Barrister Festus Okoye, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee and made available to journalists after the report of the ugly incident reached Abuja,
Dr. Iloh was said to have reported that “the incident occurred late on Sunday night, May 9, 2021.
According to him:”There are no casualties on the part of our staff on guard duty but the building was virtually destroyed. Apart from furniture items, all electoral materials and office equipment were destroyed”.
He also said the matter has been reported to the police for investigation.
Okoye lamented that, “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”.
Meanwhile, the Commission wishes to reassure 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.
