News > >Re:INEC Computers Missing

 INEC/DPA/01/221                                                                                                   

18th December, 2006

                                                           

The Managing Editor

The Sun

Abuja

 Dear Sir, 

RE: INEC COMPUTERS MISSING

Our attention has been drawn to the news story in the Sunday Sun of December 17, 2006, entitled: “INEC election computers missing”. 

We are particularly disturbed by the falsehood in this evidently spurious and the untrue story especially the blackmail that the alleged loss of the 200 computers were aimed at scuttling the 2007 elections. 

As an Election Management body devoted to delivering credible elections that are free and fair, we take exception to this mendacious, misleading and baseless story. We wish to state our story as follows:

1.That there is no loss of 200 laptop Computers at INEC headquarters as reported by the Sun and the names of the suspects as cited in the said story are non-existent in this Commission.

2.That the method of collection and dispatch of these pieces of  sensitive equipment has in-built checks and balances which make it extremely difficult for such a whopping number of laptop computers to be missing undetected;

3.That the distribution schedule of our Direct Data Capture (DDC)machines to the last point of usage has all the relevant signatures of at least four Principal Officers of the Commission before the final point of receipt which is the Resident Electoral Commissioner of each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

4.That, to the best of the Commission’s knowledge, there have been only two reported cases of loss of three laptop computers: One copy at the Federal Capital Territory and two copies in Niger State.The adhoc staff involved in the loss of these machines have since been handed over to the police. In fact, the case of the FCT is already in court. 

We hold the papers in the stable of The Sun in the highest esteem and we hope that you will use your exalted position to correct the blatant falsehood told by your reporter.We hope too that such untrue and damaging stories about the Commission shall be properly verified before publication in future. 

I remain, 

Yours Sincerely, 

Pastor Segun Adeogun

Director, Public Affairs

For: Secretary to the Commission