The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in Delta state Mr Monday Udoh Tom has expressed concern over the kidnapping of some INEC officials at different locations during the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Those abducted include nursing mother,the staff were kidnapped because the results could not be uploaded due to poor network which he said was beyond INEC’s control, the commissioner said
Addressing a press conference in Asaba on SundayUdoh Tom, said:
” Voters held our personnel hostage in many locations because the results could not be uploaded. It was the issue of poor network and it is not controlled by INEC. Voters believed our staff were trying to play pranks, I had to take a lot of people on bail. Even this morning, we had to go to Ethiope East LGA and Agbarho community to release our staff.”
He said election in some riverine communities was hindered due to difficulty in hiring boats and Oshimili South LGA, adding that the commission intervened and solved the problems.
He blamed delays in some polling units on the “overbearing attitude of party agents” who kept officials waiting endlessly.