The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has said that the fire incident that destroyed card readers in Ondo State would not affect the governorship election in the state slated for October 10 .2020.
INEC Chairman,Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu disclosed this in Abuja on Friday during an interactive session with stakeholders and Civil Society Organizations at the instance of the National Peace Committee.
Yakubu who expressed regret over the fire incident on INEC facility in Ondo said Investigation has begun to unravel the cause of the incident.
He said, though the 5100 Card readers programmed for the election were destroyed in the fire, the commission has a back up from neighbouring states to get the election going.
According to him, he had a discussion with the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Oyo state and there are 700 Smart Card Readers there, “so getting 5000 Smart Card Readers to support the Ondo election won’t be an issue.”he said.
On the Edo election, Yakubu said the commission is not contemplating postponement of the election as it is prepared for the election.
The INEC helmsman said he would personally be in Edo on Saturday (tomorrow) and wouldl only leave on Wednesday to watch what happens on election day from the situation room in Abuja.
He said” There are numbers of activities, one will be supervising the preparation of the commission,we will be holding stakeholders meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday is the signing of the peace accord under the auspices of the Nation’al Peace Committee.So as far as INEC is concerned we are ready”
Also speaking at the meeting was the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu representted by Adeleke Oyebode,Deputy Inspector General of Police (Research and Documentation) in charge of the Edo election who stated that police officers deployed to the election will be guided by the police code of conduct.
