House of Reps Moves to Probe Incessant Infernos in INEC Offices, Facilities

Paschal Emeka, Abuja

The House of Representatives has condemned in strong terms the relentless attacks on the Offices and Facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in some parts of the country by yet-to-be-identified persons.

The condemnation follows a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Olarewaju Ibrahim Kunle, at plenary on Wednesday, on the “need to condemn attacks on offices and facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

Hon. Kunle noted that the frequent systemic arson and attacks on the personnel, offices, and facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are deliberate attacks aimed at crippling the Commission and scuttling the 2023 General Elections

He recalled that between February 2019 and May 2021 the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) reported at least 41 arsons were carried out on the Independent National Electoral Commission facilities in fourteen (14) States.

“Aware that on 10 November 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State was set ablaze by hoodlums with not less than 65000 uncollected PVCs razed down by the fire.

“Also, aware that in 2019, a Single PVC was estimated to cost about N170, 000 00 which may cost more for the Commission to produce, alongside the main building, movable assets and facilities such as 904 Ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, 8 electric power generators and 65,699 Uncollected Permanent Voters Cards which were reportedly destroyed by unidentified persons at the Abeokuta South Local Government Office;

“Same day, arsonists and thugs set ablaze the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) building at Oke Iresi, Ede South Local Government of Osun State. These systematically orchestrated attacks on personnel and facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission are not checked, the actions are capable of disrupting the 2023 general election.

He observed that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) guarantees democratic governance as the only acceptable and legitimate means of governance, and democracy is only sustained by free, fair, and credible elections, hence, an attack against elections is an attack against democratic governance and perpetrators of such attacks are enemies of the country.

Hon. Kunle expressed concern that despite the affront to democracy and the Constitution of the Nigerian State, the Nigeria Police and other Security Agencies have been unable to arrest perpetrators of this heinous crime

The House consequently resolved to condemn all forms of attack on the facilities and buildings of the Federal Government in the country, particularly attacks on the facilities and infrastructure of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Lawmakers also urged politicians and stakeholders to admonish their supporters to refrain from attacks and violence before or during the 2023 elections and further urge the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security, and Civil Defense Corps, and other Security Agencies such as the Department of State Services to synergies with the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to identify, investigate, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators behind the attacks

The House, therefore, set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the incessant inferno on INEC Offices in different parts of the Country and report back within three (3) weeks for further legislative action.