The Voters Registration Centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State has been relocated after a flood ravaged its state headquarters in Benin City following Friday’s rain, News About Nigeria reports.
According to INEC, the flooding caused by the heavy rain on Friday damaged the building and destroyed voter enrollment machines already configured for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
The election body gave the new venue for voter registration to be its Ikpoba Okha LGA office located at 16 Customs Road, off Benin/Auchi Road, Benin City.
The change in venue was disclosed by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement released on Saturday in Abuja.
Giving details on the flood, Olumekun disclosed that other items including vehicles that were parked in the compound, were also submerged by the flood.
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 24th May 2024. The 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 November 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.”
