By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday raised alarm over the spike in fire outbreaks at key Federal Government agencies and departments, particularly in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The opposition party described the situation as unsettling, recalling that “only last Wednesday, the headquarters of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in AbJuja was gutted by fire, followed by another inferno at the head office of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) just two days ago.”
The party expressed shock over what it called “the disquieting” fire disaster at the head office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Friday, in which valuable equipment and documents related to electoral and political party monitoring were destroyed.
“Our party is deeply worried and hopes that this spate of fire outbreaks is not a coordinated design by sinister elements against demands for due
process and accountability in our country, as already being insinuated in the public space.”
A statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “The PDP therefore restated its demand for a forensic investigation into the fire outbreaks in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the CAC and now INEC, as the spate of occurrence has become alarming.
“Furthermore, our party strongly charges the Federal Government to immediately ensure necessary precautionary and security measures to
safeguard all our Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to avert such ugly incidences.
The PDP noted that Nigeria can no longer afford any more fire incident in key institutions as such will be distressing to the polity, which is already under pressure occasioned by dwindling economy
and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.