The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it withheld the allowances of 630 ad hoc staff who failed to return election materials and devices used for the gubernatorial election in Anambra on November 6, 2021.

The state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Nkwachukwu Orji, during a news conference on Tuesday, said the commission was displeased that the ad hoc staff failed to return the commission’s materials.

“The commission has taken the unfortunate decision to withhold the allowances of staff involved in the act, pending the return of the materials to the commission,” he said.

The INEC official named some of the materials to include; Bio-modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, battery chargers, cables and other accessories.

Mr Orji said although some of the staff concerned have started returning the items, the commission has resolved to place an order that all the materials must be returned before payment would be made to them.

The REC also announced that INEC had lifted the suspension placed on the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in the state.

“INEC suspended CVR in Anambra on Sept. 15, 2021 because of the governorship election in the state, but with the election successfully completed, the commission has from today Tuesday Jan. 25 lifted the suspension,” he said.

He said the exercise would take place in the 21 LGAs of the state and the commission’s headquarters in Awka.

(NAN)