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.

The commission said it has notified the Inspector-General of
Police of the new trend and requested that additional security
measures be provided to enhance security around its offices and
other critical structures of the commission.

According to Okoye, INEC has directed the Resident Electoral
Commissioner for Plateau State to open a register for all those in
the affected LGA who approach the commission to collect their PVCs
within the specified period, adding that the commission will print
the PVCs and make them available for collection in good time before
the elections.

He said, “INEC has reprinted and delivered the PVCs of the
affected registered voters in Isiala Ngwa South in Abia State. The
commission made temporary arrangements for the relocation of the
burnt offices. The said offices will be ready for the conduct of
the February 16 and March 2, 2019 elections.

“The commission will proceed as planned in the affected LGA and
all the burnt materials will be replaced in good time and as such
will not affect the conduct of the elections. All 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.

“The two fire incidents did not affect the Smart Card Readers
that are presently being configured in the respective state offices
of the Commission.

The commission wishes to assure all Nigerians that it will not
succumb to the antics of arsonists whose motive might be to create
fear in the minds of voters and sabotage the conduct of the 2019
general elections.”