Inferno At INEC Office In Ogun, Osun Threatens Free, Fair Election — Obi-Datti

*Says If Trend Continues, Will Undermine Voters’ Wishes At Elections

The Obi-Datti Media Organisation has described the inferno that engulfed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State as a serious threat to the 2023 general elections.

The campaign office also noted that a similar loss has been suffered at the INEC office in Osun and called for an arrest of the trend.

The Obi-Datti Media Organisation tasked the commission to fish out the perpetrators of such a heinous act which it said had destroyed voting materials.

The organisation in a press statement signed by Diran Onifade, Head Obi-Datti Media Organisation, the Obi-Datti group maintained that the destruction of permanent voters cards, which would, in turn, affect the 2023 elections, was a sad development.

The statement reads in part: “It has been confirmed that many materials needed for the next year’s elections were destroyed by the inferno, especially permanent voters’ cards yet to be collected by their owners.

“We condemn this arson in the strongest term possible because of the danger and threat it poses to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections next year.

Specifically, we wish to draw the attention of Nigerians to the following;

“That the burning of INEC offices and materials has no compensatory benefit to the perpetrators of the heinous crime and, therefore, it purely sabotages against the Nigerian nation, her people and her future.

“That most of the newly registered voters who showed unprecedented enthusiasm to participate in next year’s elections by trooping out en-masse to register have not collected their PVCs, and they would be the worst victims of this sabotage.

“That those waiting to collect their PVCs are in millions and that if this ugly trend is not checked, Nigeria would have millions of voters disenfranchised.

Onifade, in the statement, said that “there is a  danger now that if this level of disenfranchisement occurs, the result of next year’s elections will not reflect the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians.

“It is obvious that the unpatriotic criminals planning and executing disruption of 2023 elections are those who have seen clearly that they will lose in 2023 if INEC continues to conduct free and fair elections.

“The present threats to Nigeria’s continued existence as a peaceful and economically viable nation can only be solved if a popular and credible president is elected next year.

It called on the federal government to ensure a legacy of a free and fair election by arresting the situation.

“The Federal Government must back its promise to conduct a free and credible election in 2023 by protecting INEC staff, facilities and materials from destruction. The Government must also fish out the perpetrators of these arsons and bring them to justice as a punishment and a deterrent.

“INEC, for her part, must guard against rogue elements within its ranks and its staff members who might have been compromised to carry out or abet such nefarious activities,” the statement said.