Ad hoc officials contracted by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ibadan North West Local Government Area of Oyo State appear to have abandoned their polling units.
According to information made available to SaharaReporters, the ad hoc staff, mostly NYSC Corps members refused to show up for “fear of attack”, after the violence that occurred during the February 23 presidential and national assembly polls.
SaharaReporters observed that the commission has, however, rushed to contract new ad hoc staff for the election. Many people were seen rushing to put down their names.
Ibadan North West LGA has 11 (eleven) wards.
An INEC official simply identified as Mr. Oluwasegun, told reporters that those who refused to show up had been replaced. Commercial motorcylists were also recruited to transport the new ad hoc staff to their places of assignment.
“Many of the ad hoc staff that we used during the presidential and national assembly elections have all refused to show up,” he said.
“And having noticed this, we started contracting new ones (ad hoc staff) since yesterday to fill the gap of the ones that have refused to show up. We are now deploying them to the various polling units and wards.”
However, the electorate in the area have raised concerns over the identity of the newly contracted ad hoc staff.
“I just pray that the new ones (ad hoc staff) being contracted by this commission are not party members who will do the bidding of their principals,” a resident said.