Ebonyi State government has accused the opposition in the sate for setting ablaze the Independent National electoral commission (INEC) office located in Izzi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Naija News reports that the state government’s security consultant, Stanley Okoro Emegha made the allegation while addressing pressmen in over the attack on the INEC facility in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State.
According to him, it is the opposition in the state that are causing all the problems and wrecking such havoc.
Emegha alleged that opposition parties in the state were responsible for masterminding the setting ablaze of the INEC office located in Izzi LGA of the state.
Naija News had reported yesterday that suspected arsonists had set ablaze an INEC office in the Iboko, Izzi LGA of the state.
In a statement on Sunday signed by INEC Spokesman, Festus Okoye, the Commission said the office was set ablaze around 10am by unidentified persons.
The statement reads: “Although no casualties resulted from the attack, the main building and all the movable and immovable items inside it were destroyed.
“These include 340 ballot boxes, 130 voting cubicles, 14 electric power generators, large water storage tanks, assorted office furniture and fixtures, and yet-to-be-determined quantities of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).”
Following the incident which is the latest in the series of attacks on INEC facilities in the country, the Ebonyi security consultant said nothing would stop the state from partaking in the forthcoming election and they would do everything to protect the votes of its people.
Emegha therefore vowed that the state would deploy adequate security officers to INEC offices located in the 13 LGAs of the state to avert further setting ablaze by hoodlums.
He said: “The burning of the INEC office in Izzi is unfortunate. We thank God that no life was lost. The arsonists thought that sensitive materials were there, but those materials were not there.
“It is still the opposition that is causing this problem and wrecking havoc. They have seen the handwriting on the wall, seeing that they have already failed. We would protect our votes and nothing would make elections not to hold in Ebonyi like in other states.
“They thought the PVCs were there. The problem is that when we deploy Ebubeagu there now, people would start complaining that they want the materials. The arson has occurred now and the opposition doesn’t want to say the truth. How can we, the APC that is already winning, destroy properties?
“They are sending small, small things to destroy things. But we would not fold our hands again. We would in collaboration with security agencies, secure all INEC offices in the 13 LGAs, even its headquarters.
“We would still welcome people in the party to develop state together. We can no longer fold our hands and watch them destroy government properties. Let them try such again and see what would happen.”
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