In the early hours leading up to the local government elections in Akwa Ibom State, suspected hoodlums set fire to the office of the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) in Ibiatuk, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area.
The incident occurred just hours before the polls were set to begin.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and crucial electoral materials remained intact.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, confirmed the attack but assured the public that the election process was not disrupted.
“Voters were exercising their franchise as of press time, the incident had not derailed the voting process,” John stated.
She further noted that the Police Command had dispatched additional personnel to AKISIEC offices across the state to prevent further disturbances.
Despite the security reinforcement, the election faced significant logistical challenges, including the late arrival of voting materials and the absence of security operatives at some polling units.
At Unit 001, Ward 14 in Uyo Local Government Area, by 10:02 am, neither election materials nor AKISIEC officials were on-site.
A similar situation was reported at Unit 2, Ward 11 in Itu Local Government Area, where both materials and security officials were also missing.
Despite these setbacks, efforts were made to ensure the safety of voters and secure polling stations, allowing the local government elections to proceed amid the challenges.
