With less than five weeks before the 2015 general elections, the Oyo State police command has announced that a lorry conveying ballot boxes was found in the Yemetu area of Ibadan on Wednesday, December 7, 2015.

According to Punch newspaper report online, the ballot boxes, which were later discovered to belong to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were stored in a 40-feet container.

It was gathered that the trailer was arrested on the suspicion that it was carrying contraband items but was later discovered that its contents were ballot boxes meant for the next month election in Osun State.

The trailer and the consignment were later released after police investigation revealed that the boxes were being transported to Osun State by INEC, the report stated.

Photo of INEC trailer filled with ballot boxes.

It was however disclosed that the arrest created political tension as politicians made effort to know if the boxes were empty or stuffed with ballot papers.

A source informed that rumour spread in the city that a certain political party had connived with INEC to bring in thumb-printed ballot papers into Oyo State.

“A trailer carrying a 40-feet container with registration number FKJ 285 XN was actually impounded by the police but after a thorough check, it was cleared and released,” the source stated.

While conmenting on the development, the spokesman for the Oyo State Police Command, Mr. Kayode Ajisebutu, said he could not confirm the incident.

Ballot boxes.

He said he was outside the state and could not get through to the Commissioner of Police.

In a related development, the immediate past Resident Electoral Commissioner in Cross River State, Mr. Mike Igini, has said INEC will no longer be the tool for manipulation by some politicians but a national institution committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

Igini, who said this on Wednesday at the unveiling of INEC Conference Hall in Calabar, also decried the lack of internal democracy in political parties.

“This year’s election will be a watershed, a paradigm shift that would bring about the hope of integrity and reliability unequalled in our electoral history. At all times we strive to do what is right. The commission will no longer be the tool for manipulation by some politicians.

“Our commitment to do the right thing was initially misunderstood especially our emphasis on internal party democracy which is still a problem today, where parties do not even have a minimum requirement of credible register of delegates before conducting elections.

“It is inconsiderable that INEC would conduct elections that would be acceptable by the Nigerian people without having a register of voters published. The foundation of any good elections must start with the existence of a credible and reliable register of voters,” he said.