The Nigerian Correctional Service has debunked a report claiming that arrangements had been made for inmates to vote in Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State.
The NCoS spokesman, Francis Enobore, therefore urged Nigerians to dismiss the report credited to one Emma Powerful, the spokesman of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
Enobore in a statement on Friday, titled, ‘IPOB is fraudulent, no arrangement for inmates to vote in Anambra election,’ described the IPOB claims as puerile and fraudulent.
He said, “The attention of the management of the Nigerian Correctional Service has been drawn to a publication in one of the national dailies (Not The PUNCH) of November 4, 2021, alleging that inmates are being mobilised to vote to compromise the credibility of the governorship election slated for November 6, 2021, in Anambra State.
“The statement credited to one Emma Powerful, the Director of Media and Publicity of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, further alleged that inmates have been mobilised from several correctional centres in the South-East to vote in the said election.
“This statement is puerile and has no iota of truth in its entirety. It is insane and probably would have been ignored but for the time of the release and diabolical intention, I deemed it necessary to respond and state that there is no such plan to mobilise inmates or any group of persons by the Service to vote in the election or indeed, any election.”
“The publication is yet another ignoble act of the IPOB clandestinely designed to create disaffection and chaos among the people,” the service noted, saying it is a fact that only the Independent National Electoral Commission handles the electoral process in the country.
The NCoS explained that it has no part to play in the election, besides providing personnel in the joint security set up to secure polling boots and election materials, including law-abiding citizens before, during and after elections.
