Fire Incident: INEC Replaces 198 Card Readers, Ready For Polls In A-Ibom
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission (lNEC) has assured that Saturday, March 9 Governorship and State Assembly Elections will hold in Akwa Ibom despite setbacks caused by the fire incident in one of its local government offices in the State.
According to the electoral umpire, with the replacement of 198 smart card readers, voters’ register and other items destroyed in its lbesikpo Asutan Local Government Area office, everything is in place to conduct hitch-free and credible polls.
A statement issued late Friday night in Abuja by INEC’s National Commissioner, Festus Okoye said; “While we do not at this point know the cause of the fire, a report has been made to the law enforcement agencies and the Fire Service. We are liaising closely with both agencies to investigate and ascertain the cause of the fire and if found to be a deliberate act, we will ensure diligent and vigorous prosecution of those responsible.”
Okoye, who is the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, stated that; “The inferno, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, did not however affect ballot papers.”
The statement further said; “Several sensitive and non-sensitive materials for tomorrow’s Governorship and State House of Assembly elections were destroyed, including 198 Smart Card Readers, the printed Register of Voters, 13 Generators as well as several Voting Cubicles and office equipment. Fortunately, the ballot papers and result sheets for the elections were not affected and are intact.”
According to the National Commissioner, “Acting timeously, the Commission has been able to replace and re-configure all the destroyed Smart Card Readers and reprinted the Register of Voters. With the replacement and the salvage of other items, we are pleased to announce that the election will proceed as scheduled.
“All registered voters in the Local Government Area are therefore requested to turn up to cast their votes between 8am and 2pm tomorrow”.
In another development, the Commission said it has received notification on the death of Hon. Adamu Kwanate, who until his demise was the member representing Nassarawo Binyeri State Constituency (Mayo Belwa Local Government Area) in the Adamawa State House of Assembly.
He was also the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the same Constituency for the Saturday March 9, 2019 polls.
The statement said; “Consequently, INEC is compelled to countermand the Nassarawo Binyeri State Constituency election for tomorrow and the same has been rescheduled to Saturday 23rd March, 2019 in line with Section 36(1) of the Electoral Act (2010) as amended.”
“The Governorship election in the constituency and all other state Constituencies’ elections will however proceed as scheduled tomorrow (Saturday)”, the statement said
