The Ondo State chapter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Akure, was on Thursday night engulfed by fire that burnt over 5,000 ca
The Ondo State chapter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Akure, was on Thursday night engulfed by fire that burnt over 5,000 card readers.
A top INEC official, who pleaded anonymity, said the fire razed the section where card readers were kept. He attributed the cause to electrical surge as the card readers were always charged inside the place.
Another staff said the fire started at about 8:13 pm and affected the ICT unit of the INEC. The situation was aggravated as the firemen that came claimed not to have water to put out the inferno.
INEC Commissioner in charge of Information and Voters Education, Festus Okoye, who spoke at the scene of the incident, said the fire affected the ICT section of the office. Okoye said over 5,100 card readers were burnt, including the 1,000 card readers delivered to Ondo INEC from Osun State.
The governorship election in the state is slated for October 10 and it is not yet clear what measures will be put in place to ensure those affected by the fire are not disenfranchised.
