Kogi Explosion: REC confirms INEC office unaffected, ready for elections

The Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Hale Longpet on Tuesday said non of the INEC offices was bombed in Kogi state.

Addressing newsm at the INEC office in Lokoja on the preparation for the coming general election, he disclosed that it was Okehi Local government council Secretariat that was attacked and not INEC office which is closer to the local government Secretariat.

On the preparation, he said they have deployed 3,508 Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, (BVAS), for the Presidential, House of Representatives and State House Assembly election in Kogi State.

He said Kogi State has a total of 1.9 million people expected to vote during the February 25, election but 1.6Million collected their Permanent Voters Card.

He acknowledged that, there are some BVAS that malfunction during the INEC mock exercise, stressing that, those malfunctioned have been replaced as INEC has many backup incase any machine fails.

He said INEC has sent materials to all Local Government Areas adding that, they have inspected the Central Bank of Nigeria on the materials sent to Kogi State.

He said the materials sent to Kogi was for the Presidential, Senatorial, House of Representatives, House of Assembly election.

According to him, the issue of security is paramount to the conduct of the election, stressing that, the safety of voters in exercising their right will be guaranteed.

Longpet noted, that the commission has had incident of reports were some political parties were denied from holding their rallies, stressing that, security agencies have been informed about the ugly development.

The INEC REC hinted that, all security have given the Commission assurance that, all voters including their staff will be safe before, during and after the election.

He posited that, there will be restriction of movement on election day, adding that, INEC is fully committed to a transparent, free and fair election.