The Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party has said that the fire incident which occurred on the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office in Akure, Ondo State, on Thursday, was a plot to manipulate the forthcoming governorship election in the state and must be thoroughly investigated by the police.
The PDP candidate in the governorship election, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, also on Friday joined the call for a detailed investigation into the inferno.
This is just as INEC declared that the inferno would not stop it from conducting the October 10 governorship election, as scheduled.
The fire incident had occurred at the Computer Section of the INEC office on Thursday evening, destroying no fewer than 5,141 card readers.
The Ondo PDP, in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Kennedy Peretei, said, “Is INEC saying it does not have an internal mechanism to curtail fire outbreak in its office? Is the metal container bearing the over 5000 card reader machines connected to electricity? If so, was the electricity supply not switched off after the close of work at 5pm?
“Where were the security officers on duty at the time the fire started? Why was it that fire engulfed the metal container housing over 5000 card reader machines within a few minutes? Indeed, we suspect collusion between some unscrupulous officials of the commission with some politicians to perfect the running plans to rig the October 10 governorship election.”
Also, the Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation noted that it suspected foul play in the inferno and called on security agencies to carry out a proper investigation.
A statement by the Head, Media Research, EJCO, Mr Samuel Fasua, said, “We smell a rat in all of these, knowing that the next scene in what looks like a drama of the absurd can be how to tinker with the authentic INEC voters’ list, with yesterday’s fire incident as alibi.”
Meanwhile, INEC insisted that the inferno would not stop it from conducting the October 10 governorship election, as scheduled.
The Residents Electoral Commissioner in the state, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, who spoke with journalists at the commission’s headquarters in Alagbaka, Akure, on Friday, said the schedule of the election remained unchanged despite the ugly development.
Also, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has described the fire incident as unfortunate, especially when the governorship election in the state was at the corner.
A group, Democracy Vigilance Network, has also warned against any move to bring in manipulated card readers into Ondo State, following the fire incident.
According to the National Coordinator, Ben Oluwatomisin, the manipulated card readers used during the last governorship election in Kogi State were allegedly being prepared to be brought for the Ondo State election.