CLEEN Foundation, Ekiti PDP worry over compromise of sensitive materials

Oyo INEC beefs up security

The CLEEN Foundation has expressed concerns that sensitive election materials already circulated to public domain may be compromised, if adequate security measures are not taken to safeguard them.It, however, recommended that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies should ensure that the materials are not compromised.

It Executive Director, Benson Olugbuo, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, noted that the Elections Security Support Centre (ESSC) was worried by INEC’s decision to reschedule the elections originally scheduled for Saturday, February 16 and March 2, 2019.“The CLEEN Foundation’s assessment of the development is that it raises safety and security concerns that should be handled carefully to avoid further challenges.

“These include but not limited to security of citizens, sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials, as well as security of election personnel and safety of observers,” it stated.In a related development, INEC in Oyo State has retrieved all sensitive materials distributed for the rescheduled Saturday’s polls.

The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mutiu Agboke, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, Oyo State.He insisted that the time given for the collection of permanent voter cards (PVCs) had lapsed, noting that the period of campaigns for the Presidency and National Assembly have also ended.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday expressed concerns over alleged late withdrawal and return of sensitive electoral materials dispatched on Friday, February 15, 2019 before INEC the postponement.It also raised concerns over disparities in the materials brought by the electoral commission.

The party revealed that only materials for House of Representatives election were distributed to Ekiti State about 9am on Friday, adding that those meant for the Presidential and Senatorial elections did not arrive the state until Saturday.

Briefing newsmen in Afao-Ekiti, at the country home of former governor Ayodele Fayose, state Chairman of the PDP, Gboyega Oguntuase, noted that immediately after the postponement, INEC offices at local councils were directed to withdraw all the materials and deposit them with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) except the card readers, which needed to be reconfigured.