Ondo 2020: INEC fully Prepared, says chairman

Seun Aruwajoye, Akure

Professor Mahmud Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has said the commission has recovered from the setback due to the fire outbreak in it’s Akure office and is now Prepared for the October 10 Governorship election in Ondo state.

He added that the Commission would adopt same template it used in conducting Edo state Governorship election for the state.

Nigerian cable news online reported how an electric spark had cause a fire outbreak, leading to the destruction of about five thousand card readers in the state Head quarters of INEC.

The Chairman, who arrived Akure on Wednesday however told journalists that Card Readers were brought in from Oyo state and had been configured as well as fully charged to replace the ones destroyed, in preparation for the election.

He reiterated that despite the strange fire incident, INEC was fully prepared for the election.

“We have already recovered. Unfortunately, we lost 5,000 Smart Card Readers , but we recovered by getting the prerequisite number of Card Readers from the neighbouring Oyo State, and they have been delivered.

“They have arrived, being charged and configured in readiness for the election on Oct.10, in Ondo State.

“Importantly, we will use the Z-pads to upload results on election day real-time and we have moved those Z-pads from Edo to Ondo State for the election.

“So, the same preparations that we made for Edo, we have also made for Ondo, so we are prepared for the election,” he said.

Yakubu said he would also meet with the Council of Traditional Rulers , Security Agencies , and officials of the Commission in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state for the purpose of the election.