By Damilare Adeleye

The Edo State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reportedly been submerged by a flood, damaging a number of voter enrollment machines.

Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, made this known in a statement issued on Saturday.

It was learnt that the heavy downpour damaged a section of the building, thereby submerging movable and immovable items including vehicles parked at the premises as well as office furniture and equipment.

According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, the State Headquaters in Benin City was completely flooded following a torrential rainfall on Friday, 24th May, 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 27th May 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.

“Meanwhile, the attention of the security agencies and emergency services has been drawn to the incident,” Olumekun concluded.