Police thwart attempt by hoodlums to destroy Warri INEC office

The police have thwarted an attempt by unidentified individuals to demolish the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, headquarters on Esisi Road in Warri, Delta State.

A source revealed that while INEC officials were out delineating electoral units and wards by a Supreme Court ruling, a group of young men brandishing weapons and carrying containers allegedly containing fuel chanted war songs and attempted to force their way inside INEC premises.

It was said that the Warri INEC office was spared from demolition because a worried bystander called the police, who moved quickly to drive the thugs out of the building.

The incident was verified by Delta State Police Command’s police public relations officer, Bright Edafe.

While the Warri indigenous Urhobo and their Ijaw equivalents supported the exercise, it was said that the Itsekiri had contested the Supreme Court’s decision to delineate electoral divisions and wards in the federal constituency of Warri.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has launched a portal to recruit ad hoc staff for the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. The elections are scheduled for September 21 in Edo and November 16 in Ondo.

Positions available include supervisory presiding officers, SPOs, presiding officers, POs, assistant presiding officers, APOs, RAC managers, and registration area technicians, RATECHs.

In an announcement on Sunday, INEC stated that the application portal would be open from July 15 and close at midnight on August 19.

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“Applications are invited from qualified candidates to serve as ad hoc staff for the Edo and Ondo governorship elections in the following categories: supervisory presiding officers (SPOs), presiding officers (POs), assistant presiding officers (APOs), RAC managers, and registration area technicians (RATECHs),” the notice reads.

Applicants can apply via the web portal at pres.inecnigeria.org using a laptop, desktop, or cybercafé. Android users can access the application through the link: inecpres-app.com.

To qualify, applicants must not be members of any political party and must not have shown support for any candidate or party. Additionally, applicants must reside in the state for which they are applying, except for RATECHs.