The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Kogi State, central Nigeria has condemned the seizure of its headquarters in Lokoja the state capital by a mob that barricaded all entrances to the office and prevented access to staff to carry out routine duties.
A press release signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Hale Gabriel Longpet stated that “the siege also prevented attorneys representing political parties involved in the recent off-cycle governorship election from inspecting documents/materials used in the election”.
Longpet said that it took the intervention of the Nigerian Army to calm the situation down at the State Headquarters and that “the security agencies have assured us that they will maintain normalcy in our premises”.
The REC assured all parties and litigants that the Kogi State office is committed to granting unimpeded access to all materials needed to prosecute their petitions.
It would be recalled that since the November 11, 2023, off-cycle governorship election results were announced, with the ruling APC declared winner, protests for and against the results have been witnessed in the state and at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Emmanuel Ukoh
