The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that it will make use of the card reader machines for Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections across the country.
It would be recalled that at the point where the machines malfunctioned in the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections in some polling units including that of President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa, the commission instructed the use of manual accreditation.
However, INEC has insisted that the challenges it encountered with the use of card reader machines will not deter the commission from using the machines in the Saturday’s elections.
In a statement signed by Augusta C. Ogakwu, secretary to the commission, INEC stated that it had reviewed the operation of the card readers in the March 28 elections, identified the challenges and has taken adequate measures to address them.
“We wish to inform all Nigerians that card readers will be used for the April 11, 2015 elections.
“The provision of the guidelines for the conduct of the 2015 general elections which outlined what is to be done if a card reader fails and cannot be replaced by the commission within a specified time frame (i.e. reschedule the election to the next day) will be enforced.
“The relaxation of the guideline on 28th March, 2015 was only with respect to the presidential and National Assembly elections held on that date.
“The commission has reviewed the operation of the card reader in the 28th March elections, identified the challenges and has taken adequate measures to address them”.
