Ondo INEC Fire: Deputy Gov Queries Destruction Of Card Readers As INEC Calms Nerves

The Ondo State Deputy Governor , Mr
Agboola Ajayi, has alleged that card reader machines that got burnt at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Akure, Ondo State was a deliberate act of sabotage.

About 5000 card reader machines were destroyed in a fire outbreak at the INEC office on Thursday evening and Ajayi claimed the materials were deliberately set on fire by those who wanted the election date to be shifted.

The deputy governor said this on Friday in an interview with THE WHISTLER through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Babatope Okeowo.

He expressed surprise at the fire outbreak, saying why should there always be fire outbreaks at INEC offices anytime election was about to be held .

He said this had happened in some states and wondering when it would stop.

He said, ” We are suspecting arson and this was probably done by those who want the election date to be postponed.

“I pray that INEC will not fall for this ploy. Why did the fire start inside the container where sensitive materials like cars reader machine are stored?

” They know that without the card reader machines, INEC would resort to manual accreditation and this will give them the opportunity to bring fake voter cards, cloned cards and all manner of malpractices would be perpetrated easily.

” We insist that Ondo State governorship election scheduled to hold on October 10 must be free, fair and credible. The election must hold on that day.”

But the INEC has allayed the fear being expressed about shift in the date of the poll.

The spokesman for INEC, Mr Festus Okoye, has said the fire incident would not affect the election in any way. He said card readers would be mopped from states not holding election in October and would be configured for the Ondo poll.

Okoye said, “The burnt card readers cannot affect the election. The Ondo State INEC office has 4,141, while the remaining 1,000 were brought from Osun State.

“It is one month to the election so, we will just take smart card readers from other states to replace the burnt ones. The election won’t be affected. So, rest assured that it will not affect the conduct of the election.”