Governor sabotaging the use of card readers for saturday poll says INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission has accused a governor from the North-Central geo-political zone of working against the use of card readers for Saturday elections.

The commission in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the chairman of the commission, Mr. Kayode Idowu, in Abuja on Thursday, asked the unnamed governor to stop the misleading act.

Idowu said the action of the governor could amount to electoral offence.

Apart from the governor, he said some political leaders were also in the habit of telling voters that card reader would not be used for Saturday’s polls.

Idowu said that only those with the Permanent Voter Card would be attended to by officials of the commission during the elections on Saturday.

The statement said, “INEC has received reports that some political leaders are asking members of the public to disregard its stated resolve to use PVCs and Smart Card Readers for the April 11, 2015 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

“A particular state governor in the North-Central geo-political zone is reported to have assured voters in the state that they could come out to vote on election day with Temporary Voter Cards if they do not have the PVC, and that INEC will not be allowed to insist on the use of SCRs for voter accreditation.

“Members of the public are strongly advised to disregard false assurances that contradict the regulations INEC has outlined for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

“The commission reaffirms that only voters with genuine PVCs should come out to the polling units on election day, and that guidelines issued on the use of SCRs for the April 11 elections will be strictly applied.”