The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the recent attack on one of its Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection centres in Osun State will not affect preparations for the August 15 governorship election.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), insisting that the commission remains committed to delivering a free, fair and credible poll.
The assurance comes after suspected hoodlums on Sunday attacked an INEC PVC collection centre at Oyinlola DC School, Ward 2, Okuku, in Osun State. The attackers reportedly assaulted election officials and carted away electoral materials, including Permanent Voter Cards and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices.
Oketola disclosed that the incident had been reported to the police, who had already commenced investigations.
“The Osun incident has been reported to the police. As we speak, it is already public knowledge that the police have started an investigation,” he said.
He expressed confidence that security agencies would apprehend those responsible and recover the stolen electoral materials.
“As a commission, we trust that the police will be diligent in their investigation, track those suspects, get them arrested and ensure they face the full weight of the law. We also believe they will recover our devices, including the BVAS machines that were reportedly taken,” he added.
Despite the security breach, Oketola stressed that INEC’s preparations for the election remain firmly on course.
“INEC cannot be distracted. We will conduct a free, fair and credible election in Osun. That incident cannot derail our preparations. The election will go ahead as scheduled,” he said.
He revealed that the commission had configured 4,427 BVAS devices for the election, including 664 backup units to ensure seamless accreditation in the event of any unforeseen challenges.
According to him, INEC has also established 97 Super Registration Area Centres (Super RACs) and 105 Registration Area Centres across the state’s local government areas, all of which will be activated on the eve of the election.
“Whatever was carted away will be replaced. Out of the 4,427 BVAS devices, we have 664 backup units. There is no way this incident can disrupt our plans for the election,” Oketola assured.
He further described the theft of PVCs as futile, noting that Nigeria’s BVAS technology requires biometric verification before any voter can be accredited.
“Nobody can use another person’s PVC to vote. Every voter must present a PVC and undergo biometric authentication. The era of ghost voting is over,” he said.
Oketola also assured registered voters that anyone whose PVC may have been among those stolen would not be disenfranchised, promising that the commission would implement the necessary administrative measures to safeguard every eligible voter’s right to participate in the election.
He added that INEC officials would embark on a pre-election assessment tour of Osun State to evaluate operational readiness and engage critical stakeholders ahead of the poll.
While assuring residents of adequate security on election day, Oketola called on community leaders, traditional rulers, political parties, religious organisations and security agencies to work together to protect electoral assets and ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election.
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