An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. Mary Efeturi, has cried out in a WhatsApp group that the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, is holding her hostage with the military personnel.

According to her desperate message, Amaechi wants her to instruct collation officers to collate results in the presidential election that held Saturday which she resisted, leading to her being held hostage by the minister, who has threatened not to release her until she carries out his wishes, which is to write results.

Her SOS message on the WhatsApp group, which went to her superiors reads: “Sir, I am still held within my office and the Minister of Transportation is insisting that I instruct the collation officers to collate results. He said that I cannot leave the office because he has military personnel on ground.”

Effort by THISDAY to reach her by phone proved abortive. As at the time of filing this report this morning, it was unknown whether she stood her ground and resisted the minister’s pressure or yielded.

Also, THISDAY learnt that INEC officials at the commission’s Abuja head office were still making frantic efforts to secure her release.

•Sourced from a THISDAY report

i