Fire outbreak: INEC loses 8,966 PVCs, 380 voting cubicles, 755 ballot boxes

The Independent National Electoral Commission has expressed concern over the two fire incidents in its offices in less than one week which led to the destruction of 8,966 Permanent  Voters Cards.

Consequently, the commission has reported the cases to the Inspector-General of Police and requested that additional security measures be provided to enhance security around its offices and other critical structures.

While promising that all the burnt materials would be replaced in good time and as such will not affect the conduct of the elections, the commission said, “relevant security agencies have been requested to arrest and bring to justice, persons or groups involved in the attacks on the offices of the commission.”

INEC National Commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement on Sunday night said it had directed the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Plateau State to open a register for all those in the affected Local Government Area who approach the commission to collect their Permanent Voters Cards within the specified period.

The said it would print the PVCs and make them available for collection in good time before the elections.

Okoye said, “The fire incident that occurred at the Qua’an Pan Local Government office of INEC in Plateau State on Saturday, February 9, 2019, is the second of such incidents in less than a week. The first incident occurred in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government office of the Commission in Abia State on Saturday, February 2.

“Some of the items destroyed in Isiala Ngwa South LG include 2979 PVCs and other materials. At the Qua’an Pan office, items destroyed include 5,987 uncollected PVCs, 380 Voting Cubicles, 755 ballot boxes, 14 generators, election forms and official stamps.

The commission has notified the acting Inspector-General of Police of the emerging trend of the burning of the LG offices of the commission close to the conduct of the elections and at a period when the commission is engaged in the massive movement of election-related materials nationwide.

- Punch