INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega
| credits: File copy
INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission has urged its officials to be above board during the October 20 Ondo State governorship election.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, warned that any INEC official arrested for electoral offences would be dealt with.
Orebiyi, in a statement on Monday, said the INEC employee allegedly caught with voter cards, would be prosecuted.
According to him, the man was serving as a security personnel at the Ondo West Local Government INEC office until his involvement in the criminal act.
He said the suspect was on Friday arrested by the police for “making available about 1,000 unclaimed voter cards to some politicians apparently to facilitate unwholesome activities during the election.”
Orebiyi, who refused to disclose the identity of the suspect, however said he was arrested by the police following a tip-off.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Danladi Mshelbwala, who confirmed the arrest said the man and his collaborators would be prosecuted for being in possession of sensitive materials.
The development has fuelled political tension in the state as the opposition political parties have accused the ruling Labour Party of being the brain behind a plan to use the unclaimed cards on Election Day.
There were also rumours that about 100,000 ballot papers on thumbprints in favour of a political party were found with the suspects.
However, Orebiyi denied that ballot papers were part of the documents seized from the suspects.
The REC said, “There is no way anybody could get hold of the ballot papers which are very sensitive materials before the election.”
More Stories in Ondo decides 2012
Source : punchng[dot]com
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