Attacks in Ogun and Osun Left 65,699 PVCs Uncollected and Others Destroyed – INEC

In a statement released on Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that thugs who assaulted two of its offices in the states of Ogun and Osun destroyed 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

Festus Okoye, the chairman of the INEC Information and Voter Education Committee, said that the dishonest elements also damaged 904 ballot boxes, 29 polling booths, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, and eight electricity generators.

Separate attacks took place at the commission’s headquarters in Ogun State’s Abeokuta South Local Government Area and Osun State’s Ede South Local Government Area.

In a statement, Okoye claimed that both accidents happened early on Thursday; it noted that while the Abeokuta office’s whole structure was burned down, just a section of the Ede office was damaged.

Emergency Meeting Called Due to Unsettling Attacks
Security authorities have been notified, according to the INEC National Commissioner, and an investigation into the alarming attacks has started.

“These simultaneous attacks are quite frightening indeed,” he continued, “with just 106 days to the 2023 General Election when the Commission has started the transportation of materials to our offices nationally.”

Okoye said that the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) emergency meeting has been scheduled for Friday, November 11, 2023 to review the “disturbing trend” of political violence.

He bemoaned the “increasing incidence of assaults on supporters of various political parties since the campaign’s launch only two months ago and the use of hatred and inflammatory rhetoric by some politicians.”

Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign vehicle was reportedly assaulted by thugs on Wednesday in Borno State. Atiku is the PDP’s nominee for president.
As a result of the event, the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have swapped accusations.

Political violence appears to be on the rise with just over three months until the next general elections; some incidents have even been reported in some areas of the states of Lagos and Zamfara, raising concerns about the security of voters on election day in 2023.