•Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission at Obingwa Local Government of Abia state has been burnt down.

Initial reports indicated that the arson was politically motivated.

According to witnesses, the attackers brandished guns, axes, knives and other dangerous weapons as they forced their way into the local Government Headquarters.

The fire destroyed documents, furniture and other valuables in the office leaving only the wall of the building and remains of materials made of steel.

A witness, Mr Chinyere Akwarandu, an official of the local government council, said a corps member alerted him of the fire at 11 a.m.

Akwarandu said the NYSC member, serving with the INEC, reported that their building was on fire, following which he raced to the scene.

He said that on arrival at the scene efforts were made to put out the fire, but the force of the inferno later prompted them to attempt to prevent it from extending to other buildings in the council secretariat.

“We tried what we could to stop it but it was too fierce for us. Earlier, we had called the fire service but they told us they had no diesel to drive their truck,” the witness said.

Alex Otti: APGA candidate

NAN reports that the Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia was among the early visitors to the council secretariat to assess the extent of damage.

Some security officers from the Nigerian Police Force, the Army and Civil Defence have now cordoned off the LG headquarters and also mounted road block on the road to Mkpoko, the local government host town.

The governorship election result for the council is one of the issues before the state election tribunal.

The arson happened days after the Abia Governorship Election Petition Tribunal said on Friday that it would commence hearing in the petition before it on Aug. 10.

Its Chairman, Justice Usman Bwala, gave the date in Umuahia during its sitting.

The petition was filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April election, Dr.Alex Otti.

Otti is challenging the declaration of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu as the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The date for the hearing indicates the end of pretrial of the petition challenging the declaration of Ikpeazu as the governor of Abia.