Flood Ravages INEC Headquarters in Benin, Damages CVR Machines

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said its state headquarters in Benin-City, Edo State, has been ravaged by flood, following a downpour on Friday, which damaged voters’ enrollment machines.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.

He said the office was completely flooded, and that Voter enrollment machines already configured for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) were affected.
The statement reads: “Our Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, has reported that our State Headquarters in Benin City was completely flooded following a torrential rainfall yesterday Friday, May 24, 2024.
“Preliminary assessment shows that the heavy downpour damaged a section of the building. Movable and immovable items were submerged, including vehicles parked at the premises as well as office furniture and equipment.

“Some of the voter enrollment machines already configured for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) are affected. However, the commission is delivering additional machines from the neighbouring states to make up for the shortfall. We are determined to ensure that the CVR in all the 192 Wards across Edo State will proceed on Monday, November 27, 2024 as scheduled.

“However, in view of the emergency situation, the State Headquarters will not serve as a registration centre as planned. Instead, the exercise will now take place in our Ikpoba Okha LGA office located at 16 Customs Road, off Benin/Auchi Road, Benin City.”
The commission added that it has drawn the attention of the security agencies and emergency services provided for the incident.