Preparations for resumption of CVR will proceed, despite attacks on our offices - INEC assures

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has assured 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, despite attacks on some of its offices in the South- South and South-East geopolitical zones of the country.

Fresh Angle International can report that the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Festus Okoye Esq., gave the assurance in a statement released this afternoon, Monday May 10, shortly after the Commission met and discussed a wide range of issues, including a disturbing report from Abia State.

The statement explained that The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Abia State, Dr. Joseph Iloh, reported that INEC's recently renovated office in Ohafia Local Government Area was set ablaze yesterday night, Sunday May 9.

INEC noted: “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. The matter has been reported to the police for investigation.

“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 vandalized 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”.

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