Frustrated at the malfunctioning of most card readers, staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, resorted to manual accreditation of eligible voters during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. In most polling units monitored in Mararaba,Karu,Keffi Kokona,Nasarawa,Akwanga and Nasarawa Eggon local government areas of Nasarawa State,card readers were the major problems in the smooth conduct of the polls.
Also,there was the problems of late arrival of INEC officials as well as sensitive materials,thus affecting the effective conduct of the exercise. Although,there was high turn-out of voters in most polling units monitored, the inability of most voters desirious of exercising their franchise to do so due to defect in card readers was observed. In Makama Clinic polling unit where the former Minister of Information and All Progressives Grand Alliance,APGA, governorship candidate in Nasarawa State.
Mr Labaran Maku registered,voting started at 5:30 pm. The delay in the voting,according the unit’s Presiding Officer,Mr Tolu Omodiariole,was due to late completion of accreditation,which he said,commenced late due to the failure of the card readers to work. He said he was given instruction by INEC to accredit voters manually when it became obvious that the machine would not work,having tried it to no avail.
In Keffi GRA 1 polling unit,former governor of Nasarawa State,Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu was only allowed accreditation on self recognition as the card reader meant for the unit failed to acknowledge his finger-print. But surprisingly,the former governor and now a senator under the opposition All Progressives Congress,APC,hailed INEC deployment of the card reader.
On his part,Mr Labaran Maku decried the use of the electronic device,noting that it was not a programmed failure but meant to frustrate and de-enfranchised voters. Explaining reasons for this,the former minister materials were not only brought late but also that the card readers malfunctioned,adding that all efforts to convinced the Resident Electoral Officer,REC,to accede to the use manual accreditation proved abortive.
The REC,he said declined this suggestion because he had not been instructed to that effect. However,late into the afternoon,the REC eventually directed the Returning Officer to discard the use of the failed card reader in place of the manual accredition. On his part,campaign director for President Jonathan and PDP governorship candidate in the state,Senator Solomon Ewuga,reiterated his reservation for the use of the new device in a general,adding that it ought to have been experiment in actual election exercise before being adopted by INEC.
According to him,the failed electronic device seemed to have been orchestrated by the opposition party to plung democracy into conflicts.
Credit:Vanguard
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