The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi State, Dr. Hale Gabriel Longpet, has said the Lokoja headquarters of the electoral body was barricaded today by a mob.
This confirms an earlier news report by The Shield Online that supporters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) laid a seige on the office until they were dislodged by security operatives.
Dr Longpet in a press statement said “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi State wishes to inform the public that the State Headquarters in Lokoja was besieged this morning by a mob that barricaded all entrances to the office and prevented access to staff to carry out routine duties.
“The siege also prevented attorneys representing political parties involved in the recent off-cycle governorship election from inspecting documents/materials used in the election.
“It took the intervention of the Nigerian Army to calm the situation down at the State Headquarters. The security agencies have assured us that they will maintain normalcy on our premises.
“We assure all parties and litigants that the Kogi State office is committed to granting unimpeded access to all materials needed to prosecute their petitions.”
