Allegations of foul play to rig are balderdash — REC
5114 card readers card completely destroyed
APC, Group calls for probe
Dayo Johnson – Akure
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state today visited the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gutted by fire and described the incident as unfortunate and shocking.
The fire incident which gutted the office at about 830pm burnt over 5114 card readers meant for the October 10 governorship election in the state.
Akeredolu who paid an unscheduled visit to the Alagbaka office of the commission in Akure said it was not only an unfortunate incident but equally shocking especially when the governorship election in the state is at the corner.
He charged the commission to unravel the cause of the fire incident.
The governor however commended the determination of the commission to still conduct the forthcoming governorship despite the ugly incident and assured that the state government would be ready to render assistance to the commission in any area where it would not be termed as being partisan.
“As you promised us that by the grace of God the election will still be held on that day, that is soothingly, but it will be at a great cost to INEC because for you to replace all those card readers it would be at great cost.
“We sympathise with you and we want INEC to know that the people of this state are really concerned and are with you at this point in time in this calamitous situation.
READ ALSO: Ondo INEC Fire: l suspect foul play, our fate in God’s hand ― Jegede
“We are with you and whatever you think we can do that will not be termed as being partisan because whatever we do now could be misinterpreted since we are in an election period, but no doubt we have to come as government and not as contestants
“I can see the determination from how you spoke that the election will still hold on the 10th of October, we are so sorry about this”
He noted that the fire must have been very serious following offensive smokes emanating from the scene at sixteen hours thereafter.
5141 card readers were completely destroyed — REC
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ambassador Rufus Akeju while addressing a press conference in Akure denied that the fire incident was a ploy to collusion with any political party to rig the election.
Akeju said the allegation was baseless and unfortunate.
According to him, the fire incident started “between 7.15 pm and 7.30 pm when most of the Commission staff had gone home.
“The fire incident actually affected the Smart Card Readers Store. In all, 5,141 Card Readers that were inside the Metal compartment (Store) when the fire erupted were completely destroyed.
“The gallant display of firemen from Ondo State fire service and the Federal Fire Service prevented the inferno from spreading to other parts of the office building.
“Up till now, the actual cause of the fire is unknown but relevant security agencies have commenced an investigation and you will be further briefed as events unfold.
” Let me use this medium to allay the fears of the electorate, political parties and our stakeholders and the good people of Ondo State that the fire incident will not affect the conduct of the forthcoming Gubernatorial Election in Ondo State in any form neither will it lead to the postponement of the Election.
The REC noted that” necessary arrangements have been put in place for the replacement of the damaged materials.
“Let me reiterate that our determination to conduct a free, fair, credible, and successful election remains undaunted.
“We shall not rest on our oars as an Election Management Body to always pursue the Vision and Mission of being an EMB that meets the aspirations of the Nigerian people.
He expressed appreciation to the men and officers of the Ondo State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service Akure, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Akure Nigeria, and the Federal Fire Service, Ilesha for coming to our aids at our time of need.
READ ALSO: Over 5,100 card readers meant for October poll burnt in Ondo INEC inferno
Ondo APC laments INEC fire incident
The All Progressives Congress in the state through its Publicity Secretary Alex Kalejaye said it was taken aback over the fire incident at the state INEC office
Kalejaye in the statement said “Although, fire incident could happen at any time, yet the party is more concerned that the unfortunate occurrence happened a few weeks to the gubernatorial election.
“While the party declines to join the pontificating wagon to condemn and apportion blame on the unfortunate development, we believe strongly that the gravity of what has happened demands prompt action from the security agencies to immediately unravel what actually transpired, to forestall a recurrence.
“The chapter also calls on the national headquarters of INEC to do all it could to ensure the incident does not result in setbacks in its preparation for the governorship election in October.
lNEC is colluding with APC to rig the election — Group alleges
A group, Democracy Vigilance Network (DVN) has alerted the international community of alleged plans by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the commission to manipulate the October governorship election in the state.
According to the group, there is a grand plot to import the manipulated card readers used during the last governorship election in Kogi election to Ondo State, and this was why genuine card readers were burnt in INEC’s Akure office.
In a statement signed by its national coordinator, Ben Olutomisin in Akure, the group stated that the perpetrators of the plot were, by their actions, planning to set Ondo State on fire.
“The commission and APC want a modern-day, large-scale repeat of the 1983 riot in Ondo State. They are trying to foist a candidate already rejected by the people on them.
“The international community should be alerted about the likely aftermath of the plot. If they succeed in manipulating the electoral process in favour of a rejected candidate, they will have tested the resolve of the Ondo people and patriotic Nigerians.
READ ALSO: INEC deploys 5 additional RECs, 3 national commissioners, 13,000 staff to Edo
“Was it a coincidence that the so-called fire outbreak coincided with the visit of an INEC Commissioner, Festus Okoye, to Ondo State?
“As peace-loving citizens, we are asking the international community, including the European Union, the African Union, and the United States government, to prevail on APC not to set Nigeria on fire.
“The nation has travelled this road before when the INEC office in Ido Osi, Ekiti State, a PDP stronghold, was burnt, and the Court of Appeal consequently deemed all votes cast in the area void and declared Kayode Fayemi governor of Ekiti State. Therefore, what happened in Akure is an obvious plan to subvert the will of Ondo voters and truncate democracy in broad daylight.”
“Asking Nigerians to bear in mind that the crisis which truncated Nigeria’s Second Republic started in Ondo State, DVN said the Ondo State people are ready to elect a candidate that will bring development to their communities, and that any attempt to subvert their will is going to be met by stiff resistance, making the 1983 riots in the state a mere child’s play.
Olutomisin said “these desperadoes should not turn Ondo State into a theatre of war. INEC must demonstrate that it has not been heavily induced to manipulate the election in favour of the ruling party,”.
