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Reactions trail inferno at INEC office, as Akeredolu pledges support

By Oluwaseun Akingboye, Akure
12 September 2020   |   3:20 am
• PDP, ZLP Guber Candidates Raise Alarm Over Plot To Rig Poll, Call For Proper Investigation • NEC Assures Parties Of Smooth Polls, Says No Postponement Sequel to the fire incident that broke out at the Ondo State headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Akure office on Thursday night, opposition parties in the state…

Governor Akeredolu. Photo: TWITTER

PDP, ZLP Guber Candidates Raise Alarm Over Plot To Rig Poll, Call For Proper Investigation
• NEC Assures Parties Of Smooth Polls, Says No Postponement

Sequel to the fire incident that broke out at the Ondo State headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Akure office on Thursday night, opposition parties in the state have called for proper investigation into the matter.

Though the circumstances that led to the incident is still unknown, the inferno occurred exactly 30 days to the forthcoming governorship election in the state, leading to some suspicion from some quarters. Publicity Secretary of the major opposition party in the state, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kennedy Peretei, decried the incident, suspecting foul play on INEC’s part.

In a statement issued to journalists in Akure yesterday, Peretei expressed the disappointment of the party over the incident, saying it would not rule out the possibility of foul play. The party kicked against the use of manual device as against the use of electronic card readers on election day due to the incident, warning that the people of the state should not be taken for granted by INEC.

Meanwhile Governor Akeredolu led some top government functionaries to pay a visit to the scene, expressing support for the commission, promising it would not have negative effect on next month’s election. INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rufus Akeju, lauded the governor, saying investigation was on to ascertain the cause of the fire, assuring it was not severe enough to contemplate a postponement or change in date.

The Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organization (EJCO) said they couldn’t rule out foul play in the ‘mystery fire’ that razed down the office. They urged the National Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, to order a thorough probe of the suspicious fire incident, and bring its perpetrators to book. It also appealed to the police and other security agencies to rise up to the test of integrity and unveil likely perpetrators of the act and their sponsors.

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