Presidency, PDP Reject Card Reader For Election

A source in the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity said that both the Presidency and some members of the National Working Committee of the party had been asked to continue to either condemn the use of the card readers for the elections or also that the commission be told to allow Nigerians to use the Temporary Voter Card instead of the Permanent Voter Card for the election. He said:

“We are not comfortable with the card readers. For example, we have not seen any and we don’t know how it works. What will happen if the card readers fail to work? We have not even been told that they would not fail. And if they fail, what would happen. I think the issue of card readers must be re-examined.”

The commission had said that it would introduce card readers for voters’ accreditation in order to verify the rightful owners of PVCs. It said that the device would eliminate impersonation and voting by proxy during the elections. Meanwhile, the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Amadi Ali, on Monday criticised the electoral commission for the postponed elections.

He said the electoral body was not fully ready for the polls. Ali, who spoke at a press conference which was also attended by the Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, also criticised the use of card readers for the elections. He said:

“There are also reports that the PVC readers are not fully distributed and tested. How can INEC handle cases of faulty card readers? Do they have a credible plan B in situation where voters line up and the card readers refuse to work? Ballot boxes are reportedly inadequate.”

“Adequate training of INEC’s members of staff for the election had not been concluded and other problems facing INEC. Quite clearly the shift in election date is meant to save INEC from monumental embarrassment. I would like to reiterate that the PDP is ready for the election any day.”