Ola Segun
The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akure, the Ondo state capital was last night gutted by fire destroying over 5100 card readers meant for the next gubernatorial election for October 10, 2020 in the state.
An eyewitness told stallion times that the fire started around 8:55pm Thursday night at the ICT section of the commission and burnt a large container of card readers.
Mr. Festus Okoye, INEC Commissioner in charge of Information and Voters Education, who was at the scene of the incidence told newsmen that the fire affected the ICT section of the commission, and over 5,100 card readers were burnt, including the 1,000 card readers delivered to Ondo INEC from Osun State.
The ugly incident is definitely a setback but it won’t affect the October 10 governorship election in the state, he added.
Also speaking to newsmen, Ondo INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ambassador Rufus Akeju noted that the good people around prevented the fire from escalating.
He also assured newsmen that the fire outbreak will not affect the upcoming gubernatorial elections in the state.
The firemen at the scene battling to put off the fire and conduct investigation seem helpless; they claimed they had not enough water.
As at the time of filling this report, the real cause of the fire is yet unknown.
