The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shifted all materials from the Kogi State governorship election to Abuja, following orders from the National Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu.
The decision to move these materials comes from security considerations.
Under strict security, multiple trucks were used to transport the election items, including results and BVAS, to the nation’s capital.
An INEC official who spoke on condition of anonymity with Daily Trust said the order was from above and that it was in order to ease the smooth operation of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The source stated, “The materials used in prosecuting the November 11 governorship election are no longer safe here (in Kogi) because of incessant attacks on INEC officials, offices and tribunal members by thugs sponsored by unknown politicians. Therefore, the commission ordered the removal of the materials to a safe place.”
The tribunal moved its sitting to the National Judicial Council complex in Jabi, Abuja because of the security threats in Lokoja.
The attack on INEC’s office in Lokoja and the threat to the safety of the electoral materials used in the election was confirmed by both the INEC and the Kogi State Police Command through separate statements recently.
INEC office in Lokoja came under attack by suspected thugs while the residence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Hale Longpet, was attacked by gunmen on December 1, 2023.
The commission noted that while no lives were lost, property was destroyed in the ensuing gun battle that lasted over 30 minutes.
Also, the Secretary of the Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal, David Mike, was recently ambushed and almost beaten to a pulp on his way to court while petition documents were seized by the thugs.
