INEC top official dies suddenly after meeting on Edo, Ondo elections in Abuja

A senior official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly slumped and died on the evening of Monday, August 19, 2024.

The tragic incident occurred in his hotel room shortly after attending a meeting at the Commission’s headquarters.

The meeting, chaired by INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, focused on the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, as well as discussions on seven vacant positions in the National and State Assemblies.

Social media reports quote an unnamed reliable INEC source as saying that the victim, a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in one of the South West states (name s withheld by News Express) “had returned to his hotel room in Abuja after the meeting when the tragic incident occurred.”

The source, according to a report, hinted that the victim was lodged at Bon Octagon Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory for the meeting.

“The source noted that the REC, who hailed from Ondo State, was in good spirits throughout the day’s proceedings before his untimely demise,” according to one of the reports.

It quoted “an official of the commission, speaking on the condition of anonymity”, as confirming the tragic incident, “stating that the news has already caused significant confusion and distress within the state headquarters.”

News360 Nigeria was yet to get the reaction Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, as at the time of filing this report.