…Laments damage of configured enrollment machine for CVR
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that its State headquaters in Benin City was completely flooded following a torrential rainfall on Friday.
The commission also lamented that preliminary assessment showed that the heavy downpour damaged a section of the building, resulting in the submerging of movable and immovable items, including vehicles parked at the premises as well as office furniture and equipment.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement he signed in Abuja revealed that some of the voter enrollment machines already configured for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) were affected.
Olumekun, in the statement, disclosed that security agencies and emergency services have been drawn to the incident, revealing that the commission will be delivering additional machines from the neighbouring States to make up for the shortfall.
According to the statement; “Our Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, has reported that our State headquaters in Benin City was completely flooded following a torrential rainfall on Friday 24th May 2024.
“Preliminary assessment shows that the heavy downpour damaged a section of the building. Movable and immovable items were submerged, including vehicles parked at the premises as well as office furniture and equipment.
“Some of the voter enrollment machines already configured for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) are affected. However, the commission is delivering additional machines from the neighbouring States to make up for the shortfall.
“We are determined to ensure that the CVR in all the 192 Wards across Edo State will proceed on Monday 27th November 2024 as scheduled. However, in view of the emergency situation, the State headquarters will not serve as a registration centre as planned.
“Instead, the exercise will now take place in our Ikpoba Okha LGA office located at 16 Customs Road, off Benin/Auchi Road, Benin City. Meanwhile, the attention of the security agencies and emergency services has been drawn to the incident,” the commission noted in statement.