Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi State has condemned yesterday’s siege on its state headquarters in Lokoja by a mob.
A statement by the resident electoral commissioner, Kogi State, Dr Hale Gabriel Longpet, yesterday said the mob barricaded all entrances to the office and prevented access to staff to carry out routine duties.
It said the siege also prevented attorneys representing political parties involved in the recent off-cycle governorship election from inspecting documents/materials used in the election. The statement said it took the intervention of the Nigerian Army to calm the situation down at the state headquarters. “The security agencies have assured us that they will maintain normalcy on our premises. We assure all parties and litigants that the Kogi State office is committed to granting unimpeded access to all materials needed to prosecute their petitions,” INEC added.