The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said that the non-use of Card Readers may lead to cancellation of elections.
This disclosure is coming a few days to the Governorship and States Assembly elections scheduled for March 9 in reaction to claims that the Commission may have waived the use of the Card Readers for the Saturday’s elections.
The Commission also denied allegations that it deliberately failed to use smart card readers in the Presidential and National Assembly elections in some areas.
Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP had alleged that the commission did not enforce the use of card readers in some states during the just concluded presidential election.
The Commission, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, however, said the claims were false and without any basis whatsoever.
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Okoye stressed that the use of the smart card reader in the elections was not only mandatory but its deliberate failure to use it could lead to the possible prosecution of erring officials.
The statement read in part: “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 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.”
