INEC: Electoral Materials Found in Awka Hotel Don’t Belong to Us

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said two lorry load of sensitive materials allegedly intercepted by the police last Monday does not belong to the commission.

INEC in a state signed by the state Resident Electoral Commission(REC), Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, stated that it was not aware of any missing sensitive materials, adding that the materials obviously do not belong to the commission as there are laid down processes of delivering sensitive materials.

National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) had in a press conference last Monday raised the alarm over the interception of two lorry loads of INEC sensitive materials in an undisclosed hotel in Awka by police officers in the state.

The state Police Commissioner, Garba Umar, while reacting to the allegation, said it was not true that his men had intercepted materials belonging to INEC in any hotel in Awka.

INEC REC in a statement also dismissed news of the recent arrest of some politicians with the state voters register, saying the register found with the politicians were printed from the soft copies made available to political parties as required by the law.

Orji said: “The attention of the INEC has been drawn to publications in the media about statements allegedly made by the chairman of one of the political parties that two lorry loads of sensitive materials meant for the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State have been intercepted by the police in an undisclosed hotel in Awka.

“It has equally come to the notice of the commission that the police recovered large quantities of what looked like the register of voters meant for the election from some individuals in a hotel in Awka, on November 6, 2017.

“The commission wishes to state that it is not aware of any missing sensitive election materials and has not received any official report in that regard.

“The commission wishes to point out in clear terms that it is not possible for sensitive materials meant for the state governorship election to be delivered to a hotel room because there are laid down processes of delivery of sensitive election materials, which involve strict monitoring of the process by party agents, election observers, security agencies and the media.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission, therefore, states categorically that the materials allegedly found in a hotel room in Awka do not belong to the commission.”

On the alleged printing of the register of voters by politicians, INEC said: “Section 20 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that INEC shall publish the register of voters not later than 30 days before an election. To that effect, it is customary for the commission to provide the register to political parties presenting candidates for an election.

“This was done in a widely publicised event in Awka on October 18, 2017, during which all the parties present collected the electronic register.”