INEC suspends voter registration outside state, LGA offices in Imo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in all 54 additional centres created to facilitate the exercise in Imo State.
The INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said the decision was as a result of Thursday’s attack on the commission’s staff by the Indegenious People of Biafra (IPOB) gunmen in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of the state.
Recall that a staff of INEC was shot dead and two others declared missing after the gunmen invaded a voter registration in the area.
READ ALSO: IPOB gunmen attack voter registration centre in Imo, kill security guard (Video)
Okoye said the CVR would now be confined to INEC state and local government area offices, except in Orsu, Njaba, and Ihitte Uboma where it is suspended indefinitely.
The commission had earlier restricted the exercise to INEC offices in Oru East, Oru West, Orlu, and Ohaji-Egbema LGAs.
He said: “This decision follows a further report from the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, of threats to our staff involved in the exercise in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.”
Okoye added that INEC had now established contact with the two officials reported missing in Ihitte Uboma.
He stressed that the staff are safe and would soon be reunited with their families.
“The safety of staff remains a primary concern to the commission.
“We will continue to ensure that no staff is put in harm’s way while working with the security agencies and community leaders to protect them and facilitate their work,” the national commissioner added.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
 has suspended Continuous){kind=link}