Boat carrying election materials, INEC personnel capsizes in Bayelsa; INEC denies withdrawing password from supervisors

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that a boat carrying election personnel to Registration Area-17 (Koluama) in Southern Ijaw LGA capsized on Friday, November 10, 2023.

INEC official Wilfred Ifogah, Head of Voter Education & Publicity in the State revealed in a statement that no life was lost as all the election personnel numbering 12 and the boat operator were rescued.

Ifogah said in the statement that result sheets, power banks and luggage containing personal effects of staff were lost in the mishap.

It added that total number of registered voters in the affected Registration Areas is 5368 and the number of PVCs collected is 5311, assuring that INEC is making efforts to ensure the conduct of election in the affected area.

INEC has confirmed that its Supervising Presiding Officer SPO assigned to Registration Area-06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama LGA was abducted while waiting to board a boat at Amassoma Jetty, saying the security agencies have been notified.

Meanwhile, the commission has denied a fake news story attributed to whistleblowers “concerned workers” that INECs passwords for result upload have been withdrawn from LGA Supervisors for use by APO1s in Imo State.

In a statement by the CPS, Rotimi said for avoidance of doubt, Presiding Officers (POs), and not APO1s, are responsible for result upload to the IReV.

“All the passwords have been securely released for use by designated officials in line with the Commission’s procedure.

“The public should expect more of such insinuations before, during and after the elections, and continue to discountance them” it said.