2019 election eve- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday revealed that it had replaced the 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.

CEOAfrica learnt that sensitive election materials and card readers were collected from across the country and deployed in Anambra, as the items were deployed from the Central Bank of Nigeria to the 17 Local Government Areas in the state on Thursday.

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.

Recalled that 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.”

On the security situation in the state, Orji said policemen and other law enforcement officers had been deployed “in their full numbers in Anambra and, of course, there have been other incidents which they are quickly checking.”

Providing updates on the collection of Permanent Voter Cards, he stated that a significant number of PVCs had been distributed.

“But as we speak, we haven’t received any report of any arrest from the security agencies or anything of that matter. We have also put up our own internal processes by creating a help desk line for members of the public to call us and give us details of any infraction.

“Also, as we speak, we haven’t received any helpful information from members of the public. All we get are insinuations that you see on the social media and some of the traditional media.”

He further disclosed that security agencies were manning the materials that were replaced, adding that the commission concluded its stakeholder engagement in the state on Tuesday where all parties, candidates, election observers, security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders were invited.