The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said that the fire incident which raze part of the Commission in Akure will not affect the conduct of the October 10, Governorship election.
This was according to the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rufus Akeju who said that the fire incident which destroyed about 5,141 card readers began after officers of the Commission had left work for home.
The Commission said it is yet to ascertained the cause of the fire which razed two containers destroying some electoral materials in the State.
Akeju who affirmed that the Commission has put in effort to make arrangement for complete replacement of the burnt card readers.
However, the electoral body noted that the Governorship election date remains as it is.
Speaking during an on-the-spot visit to the Commission, the Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said the Government will be willing to support the Commission in ways that would not be misinterpreted.
In his words, the Agbaka of Alagbaka, Prince Afolabi Obasuyi, urge Government to invest more in fire service in other to prevent future calamity.
He also called on various community heads and institutions to instigate a mini fire service centres in their localities in other to prevent further occurrence.
He said: “I was personally there. As the traditional head of Alagbaka community, it is my commitment to the people of this community to see things are okay. I went there with my staff. To my dismay, nothing was done to quench the fire after two hours. Fire service men tried to put off the fire using buckets of water. I alerted the State Government and the Airport Fire fighters. I also called the fire fighters at Ilesha.
“If it were in the Western world, it wouldn’t have been the same. The fire should have been quenched within 30 minutes. My advice is that every Community should have their own fire station. Every institution should have a mini fire post. The State fire fighters should be combat ready. If we had good firemen, the fire should have been tackled. It was just a container.”
Modupe Arotolu
