INEC reacts to officials’ alleged meeting in govt house before results

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has denied allegations that its officials deployed to conduct the just concluded governorship elections in Adamawa State paid a nocturnal visit to the state Government House before the conclusion of the poll.

Reports had said that the alleged meeting aimed to ostensibly rig the polls for the incumbent Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri.

It was alleged that the officials met with some persons at the government house, where they received a list of “collation and returning officers”.

But the commission, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said there was no such meeting.

The commission noted that though it does not join issues with partisan actors, particularly where no evidence has been provided, the allegation was false.

“To set the record straight, no such visit or meeting took place, let alone the compilation of any purported list of collation and returning officers.

“Such a meeting could have been contrary to the oath of neutrality that we all swore to,” he said.