INEC offices in Orlu, Imo State has been gutted by fire, which razed the secretariat was said to have began in the early hours of yesterday and continued until 6.30 am.
Although some have alleged that the inferno was a deliberate act of hoodlums hired by politicians. The just-concluded supplementary was marked with a high level of violence following the invasion of the collation centre by hoodlums. They stopped the collation process and tore result sheets.
INEC completed the collation three days later at its state office in Owerri, the state capital, and declared Alagbaoso as the winner. The Orlu incident followed the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Jerry Alagboso, as the winner of the re-run Orlu/Orsu/Oru East Federal Constituency election. This obviously did not go well with some people.
Why actual cause of the fire has not been ascertained, Police spokesman Orlando Ikeokwu said the Commissioner of Police, Olaniyi Fafowora, had ordered an investigation.
“I can confirm the incident to you but the cause of the fire outbreak is unknown for now.
“The Commissioner of Police has dispatched operatives to the scene.”