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Romanus Ugwu, Ndubuisi Orji Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed disappointment over the conduct of some commissioners, ad hoc and main staff during last weekend’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Briefing the media in Abuja, yesterday, he said most of them failed in their duties.
He equally revealed that an unidentified Electoral Officer (EO) in Imo State has been arrested by security agents over his involvement in election infraction.
He further lamented that both some ad hoc and commission’s staff were harassed, intimidated and even physically abused, adding that the commission recorded one fatality in Rivers State, where a staff, Ibisaki Amachree, was hit by a bullet while returning from election duty in Degema.
“The Commission acknowledges that there were places where personnel and materials did not arrive on time resulting in delays in opening of polls. We responded by extending the voting period to compensate for the initial loss of time. Our reports indicate that many citizens who would have otherwise been disenfranchised had the opportunity to vote.
“Similarly, in spite of our best effort to enhance the functionality of the Smart Card Readers (SCRs), we experienced technical glitches in some locations. Through the deployment of 8,809 Area Technical Support (RATECHS) that we engaged as ad hoc, many of these glitches were successfully rectified which enabled voting to take place seamlessly in the affected PUs nationwide. Yet, there were places where voting could not proceed as a result of the failure of the SCRs. In addition, there are places where materials arrived late for voting to proceed.
“After consultation with the communities involved, and in line with our regulations and guidelines, new SCRs have been reconfigured and deployed for elections in the affected polling units. Right now, elections are ongoing in some PUs in Abia, Bayelsa, Benue, Plateau, Zamfara and one Polling Unit in Binji LGA of Sokoto State and Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). We are determined that the vote of every Nigerian is important and must count.
“We have received preliminary reports and are closely monitoring the situation in Rivers, particularly Bonny and Akoku-Toru LGAs. We are similarly awaiting the detailed report from our Imo office particularly in respect of the Owerri Municipal LGA. We are also aware of the incidents in some parts of Lagos, particularly Okota. We are similarly aware of the incidence of intimidation, abduction, hostage-taking and violence unleashed on election officials in some States, notably Akwa Ibom, and the burning down of a vehicle conveying materials used for the election yesterday in Dekina LGA of Kogi State.
“Some Corps members serving as ad hoc staff were also attacked in Osun State. While in all these attacks, election staff sustained injuries, we have unfortunately recorded the first fatality in Rivers State. An ad hoc staff, Ibisaki Amachree, was hit by a bullet while returning from election duty in Degema. We condemn these attacks and will forward a comprehensive report to the security agencies for expeditious investigation and prosecution of those involved.”
