Dr. Felix Nte, a collation officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission, has revealed how he ate INEC papers out of fear following unabating gunshots by security operatives in the last general elections.
The coalition officer on Wednesday disclosed this to the commission of inquiry into the violence and killings that characterized the February 23 and March 9, 2019 general elections in Rivers State.
Nte, who served in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State during the exercise, stated that he panicked and ran out of the collation centre in the council area, where he served.
The INEC collation officer, who was invited to testify as a witness on the alleged militarisation of the electoral process, added that while he was stranded, he was assisted by a stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party to find safety in a nearby hotel with the sensitive materials for the polls.
“I arrived INEC office in Oyibo LGA at about 12.00pm and collected materials. I was later checked into the collation centre and shown my table. From that moment, it appeared I was caged by the military.
“Before the announcement of the result, the pressure became much and we managed to smuggle our way out because of the cascade of gunshots.
“Before I realised what was happening, I was chewing INEC papers. I was about to eat my SIM card before someone tapped me and shouted, ‘Do you want to kill yourself?’
“It was one Hon. Chisom, who saw my helpless situation and took me to a hotel premises in the area.
“The noise that I heard seemed like that of military. But I did not see them and when I recovered from the shock, I did not see the bags that I was carrying again”, he said.