The electoral commission, INEC, has declared 30 of its staff missing.
The ad-hoc staff took part in Saturday’s Kogi State governorship election. They were posted to Olamaboro Local Government Area (LGA) by the commission.
They were declared missing around 1 a.m. on Sunday during the final collation of results in the local government.
The missing INEC staff include Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) of polling units in Imane ward 1 and 2 of Olamaboro LGA of Kogi State.
Many of the ad-hoc staff used by INEC are corps members of the NYSC.
Just as the whereabouts of the officials are unknown, results from the polling units where they served have also been declared missing.
Announcing the development, the LGA Election Officer, in-charge of collating and announcing the local government’s results, Garba Mahmood, said the INEC ad-hoc staff were reported missing after the observation of some police officers who raised concern that they were last seen shortly after voting ended at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
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Mr Mahmood said repeated calls to their telephone numbers did not go through.
According to an observer who witnessed the declaration by Mr Mahmood, the official asked party agents whether or not the missing staff should be waited for. Based on their response, he declared them missing.
Mr Mahmood then released the names of the missing persons.
THISDAY tried to contact the spokesperson to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, on the status of the missing staff. He did not pick calls or reply a text message sent to him.
The police spokesperson in Kogi, William Aya, could also not be reached on the status of the missing persons.
The Kogi governorship election was characterized by violence, ballot box snatching, intimidation of voters and vote buying in many parts of the state.
Although 24 candidates are contesting the election, it is seen as a context between incumbent governor Yahaya Bello of the APC and Musa Wada of the PDP.
See the list of the missing staff as provided by INEC and the police at the Olamaboro collation centre.
Olamaboro III
Unit 002- (1) Oladipo Victor
(2) Achimi Samson P-08136653704
(3) Umar Faruk Sani-08032745663
(4) Adama Ibrahim
Unit 006- (1) Abayomi Roseline E.
(2) Onuche Abel E
(3) Onojah Emmanuel
(4) Umoru Mariam-
Unit 013- (1) Effiong Akwaowo-Ukpe
(2) Mattew Agada
(3) Samuel Ibrahim
(4) Sado Bello
Imane 1
Unit 006- (1) Nzeofia Kingsley- Presiding Officer (PO)
(2) Hassan Musa- Assistant Presiding Officer 1 (APO 1)
(3) Ekele Michael – Assistant Presiding Officer 2(APO 2)
(4) Ahmed Mattew – Assistant Presiding Officer 3(APO 3 )
Unit 012 -(1) Ovioawho Omonefe B.- Presiding Officer (PO)
(2) Baba Eric -Assistant Presiding Officer 1 (APO 1)
(3) Gabriel Samuel Assistant Presiding Officer 2 (APO 2)
Unit 015-(1) Nwafor Emmanuel- Presiding Officer (PO)
(2) Agada Ochegeugwa- Assistant Presiding Officer 1(APO 1)
(3) Ojih Martina- Assistant Presiding Officer 2(APO 2)
Unit 016 (1) Ezugwu Stanley- Presiding Officer (PO)
(2) Mohammed Abdullahi- Assistant Presiding Officer 1(APO 1)
(3) Mohammed Ibrahim- Assistant Presiding Officer 2(APO 2)
(4) Adejoh Joy- Assistant Presiding Officer 3(APO 3)
Unit 022 (1) Adebisi Comfort – Presiding Officer (PO)
(2) Yusuf Sofiat- Assistant Presiding Officer 1(APO 1)
(3) Onoja Alice- Assistant Presiding Officer 2(APO 2)
(4) Onuche Vincent- Assistant Presiding Officer 3(APO 3)’
THISDAY