Attack On Our Facilities Won’t Hinder 2023 Elections, INEC Vows

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to ensure that the  recent spate of attacks on its facilities does not stop the conduct of 2023 general election.

INEC chairman, Mahmoud Yakoub said this on Monday when he received a delegation from the African Union special pre-electoral political mission in Abuja.

In recent weeks, INEC offices in Osun, Ogun, and Ebonyi were set ablaze, with thousands of permanent voter cards (PVCs), ballot boxes, and other election materials destroyed.

Speaking on Monday, Yakubu assured Nigerians that INEC would replace the damaged election materials ahead of the election.

“In the last three weeks, three of our local government area offices were attacked in three different states of the federation, and the last one occurred yesterday in the south-eastern part of the country,” he said.

“Although there were no casualties, quite a number of the materials already acquired and delivered for the elections have been lost.

“Now, the good thing is that so far, we can recover from all the losses but it’s a source of concern. This shouldn’t be allowed to continue.

“So, we will continue to engage with the security agencies to make sure that these offices as well as personnel and our facilities are protected ahead of the election.

“We may express some concern about the attack on these facilities, but it will never deter the commission from going ahead with the election as scheduled.”

Yakubu said INEC may suffer hitches , but it is better prepared for the 2023 general election.