INEC replaces 4, 695 burnt cards in Anambra

About 4, 695 burnt card readers and other sensitive materials that were destroyed on Tuesday by fire at the secretariat of the commission in Awka, Anambra State have been replaced.

The Independent National Electoral Commission made the declaration on Friday.

It was gathered that sensitive election materials and card readers were collected from across the country and deployed to Anambra State.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra State, Nkwachukwu Orji, explained that the commission had been able to stabilise its operations in the state after the fire incident.

On Tuesday, INEC announced that a total of 4,695 card readers were destroyed in the fire that gutted the containers, where they were kept at the Anambra State office.

Speaking in Anambra during a live television programme monitored by our correspondent in Awka, Orji said, “We have managed to stabilise our operations.

“And I’m happy to say that we have received smart card readers from all over the country, which we have prepared for the elections. As we speak, we have prepared smart card readers for all the Local Government Areas in Anambra State.”

Asked whether there would not be any shortfall of sensitive materials in the state for the elections on Saturday, Orji replied, “Exactly. I don’t expect any shortfall.

“Yesterday (Thursday) we received all the other sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria and those have been sorted and distributed to all the LGAs in the state as of 11pm yesterday.”