INEC office burnt down in Abia

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission at Obingwa Local Government of Abia state has been burnt down.

Initial reports indicated that the arson was politically motivated.

According to witnesses, the attackers brandished guns, axes, knives and other dangerous weapons as they forced their way into the local Government Headquarters.



Some security officers from the Nigerian Police Force, the Army and Civil Defence have now cordoned off the LG headquarters and also mounted road block on the road to Mkpoko, the local government host town.

The governorship election result for the council is one of the issues before the state election tribunal.
The arson happened days after the Abia Governorship Election Petition Tribunal said on Friday that it would commence hearing in the petition before it on Aug. 10.

Its Chairman, Justice Usman Bwala, gave the date in Umuahia during its sitting.
The petition was filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April election, Dr.Alex Otti.

Otti is challenging the declaration of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu as the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The date for the hearing indicates the end of pretrial of the petition challenging the declaration of Ikpeazu as the governor of Abia.