By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) in Kogi State, Dr.Hale Gabriel Longpet, said INEC Office in Okehi Local Governnent Area of the state was not bombed as carried by section of media houses.
He made the denial on Tuesday in Lokoja while addressing Journalists on the preparation of the Commission in the state towards February 25, Presidential electíon.
Longpet said that immediately he got the information, he travelled to the local government headquarters and found out that the said bomb did not affect the INEC Office in the area.
The REC cautioned Journalists to be objective in their reportage especially in the area of security situation and the presidential election and other national elections that is paramount in future governance of the country.
On the February 25 presidential election, the REC said that the commission has done the needful to ensure the success of the crucial national assignment in the state.
According to him, the office had trained all the ad-hoc staff for Senatorial, Federal constituency and House of Assembly elections, supervisory officers and returning officers among others and ensured that they demonstrate competence in the discharge of their duties effectively during the exercise.
Longpet added that he and his management team had gone to the Central Bank of Nigeia, CBN, to inspect sensitive electoral materials for the election.
The REC also told the Journalists that 1.9 million voters were registered in the state but 1.6 million, representing those that collected their PVC and ready to vote.
The REC said officers of the Commission had tested BVAS and other sensitive materials to ensure that they are in the best form before using them for election.
According to him,3,508 BVAS were configured out of which 24 got defected and returned to Abuja for replacement with 282 back ups in case of any failure.
On the eligible voters with disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly, the REC assured that they would be attended to before the able- bodied ones in the exercise with special gadgets meant for the blind and other people with physical disabilities to enable them vote seamlessly.
According to him, politicians own the country the obligation to educate their followers and the electorates on how to improve the social and economic condition of the people when in office and not to engage in political crisis.
