Reps candidate petitions INEC over missing ballot papers

House of Representatives candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Ogun State, Jimoh Olaifa, has petitioned the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) over alleged missing ballot papers for today’s national assembly election in Yewa North/Imeko Afon federal constituency.

In the petition, the party chairman in Imeko Afon, Kayode Elegbede; the party agent, Ben Ibikunle; and the candidate alleged that 6,053 ballot papers for today’s House of Representatives election in the council released by the commission were missing.

According to them, of the 62,853 ballot papers released from the state office for the council, only 56,790 were sighted.

“Interestingly, the same number of 62,843 ballot papers released for the presidential and senatorial elections were physically seen and counted by all concerned at the INEC office in Imeko-Afon.

“We hereby strongly demand that you use your good offices to ensure that the missing ballot papers are produced immediately to safeguard the credibility of the election and nip in the bud ongoing speculations that can threaten law and order in the council,” they added.

However, calls put through to the REC, Prof. Abdulganiyu Raji, were not answered.

But the Head, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Adenike Tadese, said there was no cause for alarm, as the box containing the ballot papers for Imeko Afon was sealed and opened in the presence of all stakeholders.

She explained that the shortfall was not as a result of theft or misplacement, but an error of counting from the manufacturer.

Tadese added that the number of registered voters in the area were not up to the number of available ballot papers for the House of Representatives election in the council.