Card Readers A Must For Guber Polls – INEC

Card readers must be used in the governorship and state assembly elections on Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC insisted on Tuesday.

National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye in a statement issued in Abuja said that insinuations in some quarters of the polity that the commission is selective in the application of the card readers in the process of voting.

Asserting to the contrary, he said:

“These allegations have led to speculations that INEC may be forced to jettison their use in the March 9, 2019 Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Area Council elections”, he said.

“INEC hereby states categorically that the allegations are absolutely false and the speculations are without any basis whatsoever. The use of the Smart Card Readers is not only mandatory but its deliberate non-use attracts the sanction of possible prosecution of erring officials in accordance with the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections. This is in addition to the voiding of any result emanating from such units or areas as was done in the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019. 

“The general public and all officials engaged for the elections are hereby informed that the Commission is not reconsidering the use of these Smart Card Readers which has greatly improved the credibility of our elections and instilled a high level of public trust In them. 

“To clear any doubt or ambiguity, we wish to state that the deployment and mandatory use of Smart Card Readers in next Saturday’s elections will not only be uniform but also universal, and the provisions of the Regulations and Guidelines will be strictly and vigorously enforced. All Stakeholders are to note and be guided accordingly please,” INEC insisted.

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