The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) in Ondo State, Mr. Rufus Akeju has dispelled the ongoing rumors and speculations that the inferno which engulfed over 5100 smart card readers and burnt them beyond usability is targeted at colluding with the ruling party in power to rig the election.
Akeju also assured the residents of the state and the electorates that the incident will not in any way affect the conduct of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the State in October, assuring that arrangement are already in place to replace the damaged and burnt smart card readers.
According to the Ondo REC, “the cause of the fire incident has remained unknown to the Commission, but the security agencies in the State are already investigating the reason and root of the inferno to enable them bring the culprits to book.
“The issue of the inferno will not affect the conduct of the poll in October. All the necessary steps have been taken to replace the burnt smart card readers, as I am also using this opportunity to express our appreciations to all and sundry that helped during the unfortunate incident, especially the Fire Services Stations from Ondo State, that of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as well as those from Ilesa”, he added.
Packaged By Emmanuel Adeniran
