INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, Visits Burnt Office In Ogun, Promises To Reprint Destroyed PVCs

By Damilare Adeleye

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, visited Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital on Tuesday to assess the extent of damage done by criminal elements on the commission's facility.

Speaking to newsmen at the scene of the burnt INEC office in Abeokuta South Local Government, Yakubu stated that the visit was part of the move to meet his staff in the place they have relocated to in Oke-Ilewo, and to boost their morale.

The INEC boss assured the people of Abeokuta South that none of them would be disenfranchised in the 2023 general elections, in spite of the attack.

He disclosed that the commission is putting efforts to replace all the materials lost to the inferno.

“We lost 65,699 PVCs, and we want to assure all those that have not collected their PVCs who may have been affected that we are making plans to reprint the PVCs quickly and to bring them back to Abeokuta South for people to collect and vote,” he said.

He emphasized that the incident would not prevent the commission from conducting the 2023 elections, saying “the commission is determined to make the 2023 elections our best ever.”

“We will not be deterred, we will not be cowed by any act of arson by undemocratic and retrogressive elements.”

He disclosed that the commission needs just two days to reprint the affected 65,000 voters cards.

“We have to get the Voter Identification Numbers (VIN) for the cards that were lost so that we can quickly reprint them.”

He, however, described fact that five INEC offices were attacked nationwide in the last four months as disappointing.

“But this will never deter us, we will make sure that we replace burnt and destroyed equipment and also reprint the PVCs and conduct elections,” he said.