The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will hold an emergency meeting with all Resident Electoral Commissioners across the states over attacks on its offices.
INEC Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, made this known in a statement issued on Friday, adding that all RECs would be summoned in Abuja on May 19.
The Commission’s office in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State was set ablaze by hoodlums on Sunday night, a week after the Commission’s Headquarters in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was also razed by unknown persons.
On Thursday, INEC’s office in Enugu was also involved in a fire incident. However, the remote cause of the inferno is yet unclear.
The commission had decried the unfortunate incidents, describing the situation as worrisome.
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“Following the attack in Abia State, the commission resolved to convene an emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security next week to discuss this disturbing trend. The latest destruction of the commission’s physical infrastructure and electoral facilities in Enugu State calls for an immediate review of the measures necessary to secure INEC’s assets across the states,” the statement partly read.
“Consequently, the Commission is convening an emergency meeting with all the Resident Electoral Commissioners on Wednesday, 19th May 2021, in Abuja ahead of the meeting of ICCES.
“Meanwhile, the commission is determined to continue to discharge its responsibilities, including the conclusion of the expansion of voters’ access to Polling Units, resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration, capacity-building activities, the review of the draft Strategic Plan 2022-2026, engagement with stakeholders as well as all scheduled and pending elections.”
