By Bisi Olominu & Adekola Afolabi
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ondo State have commenced the audit of sensitive materials returned across the 18 local government areas of the state to the Central Bank in Akure.
Investigation conducted by The Hope indicated that the step was taken to forestall any loss of the sensitive materials for Saturday’s election.
A visit to the CBN office in Akure by our reporters discovered that various vehicles were conveying the election materials from the various local governments back to the CBN from the early hours of yesterday.
Security men were seen at the CBN subjecting the vehicles to a thorough screening as well as the people coming into the bank to prevent any crisis.
Visits to the CBN and INEC offices on Sunday showed that stern looking mobile policemen, regular police and soldiers were keeping vigil at the two offices.
At the INEC office in Alagbaka, Armored Personal Career (APC), was stationed to condone off the road leading to the office, no vehicle was allowed to pass through the road and none coming in except those transacting business with the commission.
The entrance of INEC was manned by fierce looking mobile policemen, so also was the entrance of the CBN where motorists were quizzed.
Speaking on the development, Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Femi Joseph confirmed the development and said that it was done to forestall breaking down of law and order.
According to him, INEC offices in some states had been attacked by hoodlums and sensitive materials burnt, but to prevent such in Ondo State, reason why men of the police condoned off the road leading to INEC.
His words:” This Ondo Police Command shall embark upon from now till Saturday when the postponed election shall be held. We shall also do it at all INEC offices statewide, make sure that all the sensitive materials distributed last Saturday are escorted back to CBN and then distribute safely to all the locations before the coming elections.”
“What we are doing now is to escort back all the materials distributed last Saturday, take stock of all sensitive materials with INEC officials and make sure that nothing happens to the materials.
“We are to guard all INEC offices in the state from now till coming Saturday and any threat to security will be curtailed.”
Femi Joseph therefore called on all the policemen to continue with the patrol of the state, while the people of the State should not panic.
Also, INEC Public Relations Officers, Mr. Assa Sadiqe said that the commission was expecting some electoral consignments from Ibadan, but assured that the electoral body was ready for Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
He added that the tight security at the entrance of INEC office in Akure and other offices in the state would not be relaxed.
“When you see what hoodlums are doing to sabotage INEC’s commitment to hold a free, fair and acceptable elections in the country and some believed that they should attack our offices and vehicles, then there is the need to take precautions to forestall the attacks.”
He assured that the commission would be ready for the coming Saturday’s elections.
Addressing Journalists, Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Rufus Akeju, said the postponement of the general elections earlier scheduled to hold last Saturday was to ensure free, fair, credible and transparent electoral process.
According to him, following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plans and the determination to conduct free, fair and credible elections, the Commission came to the conclusion that going forward with the elections as scheduled was no longer feasible.
Akeju, who told journalists that the postponement would afford the Commission the opportunity to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of our elections, however, assured the people of the State of INEC’s unwavering commitment to maintain its integrity to conduct free, fair and credible elections and deepen the nation’s democracy.
He said following the postponement, the Presidential and National Assembly elections would now hold on Saturday, February 23, 2019, while the Govenorship and State Houses of Assembly elections would now hold on Saturday, March 9, 2019.
“This was a difficult decision for the Commission to take, but necessary for the successful delivery of the elections and the consolidation of our democracy.
“The Commission wishes to assure the general public of this great state of its unwavering commitment to the veritable tenets of fairness and integrity in the discharge of its onerous task of deepening democracy in Nigeria”, the REC said.
All attempts to ask the REC further questions proved abortive as he declined further comment, saying “that is all I have to say”.
