March 4, 2015 – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will have to contend with a lot of challenges in its determination to use card readers in the March 28 and April 11 general election.
Today in Abuja, 15 political parties and 5 presidential candidates threatened to pull out of the exercise if INEC goes ahead to deploy card readers for the election.
Addressing Journalists in Abuja, the parties said the concept of using card readers for this coming elections as planned by INEC, has a lot of implications which may negatively impact on the conduct of a credible, free and fair elections on March 28 and April 11.
The Spokesman of the political parties and national chairman of the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) Dr Onwubuya .A. Break forth, said first drawback, is that this device is relatively a new technology that has not been tested or tried in a kind of mock election prior to this time.
“Therefore, we the concerned group of leaders of political parties, presidential candidates, governorship and National Assembly candidates, hereby request INEC to stop forthwith, the proposed use of the card reader for this March 28 and April 11 general elections or we may consider boycotting the election,” he said.
Break-forth argued that delaying the introduction the card reader device would enable the nation and the electoral umpire to properly ascertain its workability and efficiency before using it for election.
According to the group, consequences of the use of card reader, which is time-bound is likely lead to manipulation and would result in the massive rigging of the election and ultimately disenfranchise bonafide Nigerian voters.
He said the move by INEC will amount to subjecting the general election to a mere trial and error affair should the card reader fails to live up to expectations.
“Moreover, if the card reader should develop some technical problems, there is a possibility that the consequences of such development would affect about 40 (forty) or 50 (fifty) percent of the polling booths nationwide”, he said, adding that the card reader could develop technical fault any time during the voters accreditation process.
“As major stakeholders in this election process, we suggest that the easiest method of accreditation and verification of PVCs, should be for INEC to use manual confirmation of the pictures and particulars or data of the PVC holders to ensure that it corresponds with the voters register with the electoral officers in the polling units and in front of the party agents. This way, it will minimize the obvious chances of voters disenfranchisement.
“We the stakeholders are not saying that an improved and faster technology should not be used to achieve development in the electoral process, but it should not be in the general elections. The PVCs have already solved a lot of these problems.
“We also want INEC to respond to this emergency and within 24 hours approve our request because time is of the essence. This positive response is necessary so that we would be able to meet the demands of our party members and majority of the Nigerian voters who have expressed great anxiety and concern over this matter.
“Since Prof Attahiru Jega has shown lack of professionalism and good judgment in his actions so far in the conduct of the 2015 elections and since he has about three months to the end of his tenure as INEC Chairman, we the stakeholders urge him to quietly consider proceeding on terminal leave so that a more competent person can handle the current election process”.
Three of the political parties leaders who signed the statement on behalf of the parties include, the national chairman of the MEGA Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP), Prince Dare Falade, Presidential Candidate , Peoples Party of Nigeria, (PPN), Prince Dr Kelvin Chinedu Opumu Alagoa and Dr. Rafiu Salau of Alliance for Democracy (AD).
