Anambra: Gunmen attack the INEC office and destroy the ballot boxes

In Anambra, gunmen attack the INEC office and destroy the ballot boxes.

Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) stored in the commission’s “fireproof cabinet,” according to the electoral umpire, were unaffected by the incident.

In the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, thugs on Wednesday set a facility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on fire.

Festus Okoye, Chairman of Information Education and National Commissioner of INEC, reaffirmed this in a statement.

Elizabeth Agwu, the resident electoral commissioner in Anambra State, reported the attack to the commission, according to Okoye.

He said that the assault “seriously damaged” the building.

All furniture and other goods, including recently delivered non-sensitive materials, were destroyed in preparation for the general election of 2023, he claimed.

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729 ballot boxes, 243 polling booths, 256 election bags, 11 megaphones, an electric power generator, and a sizable amount of indelible ink and liquid gum are among the goods that perished in the flames.

Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) held in the commission’s “fireproof cabinet,” according to an INEC official, were unaffected by the incident.

He further stated that, as of the time of the incident, no sensitive materials had been delivered to the local government area office.

Given that the gunmen also targeted a police facility in Nnobi, Okoye claimed the attack appeared to have been coordinated.

“Elections Will Proceed as Scheduled.”

In spite of the assault, INEC assured that the general elections in 2023 would go as scheduled.

The presidential and national assembly elections will take place as scheduled on February 25, 2023, and the house of assembly election will take place two weeks later, according to Okoye. “Despite this despicable incident, the commission wishes to reassure the people of Idemili South Local Government Area that contingency arrangements will be made to replace the (destroyed) materials,” she added.