It said card reader would be used for the Edo governorship polls contrary to misconceptions that the Supreme Court stopped the use of card readers.
Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Edo State, Mr. Sam Olumekun, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
Olumekun said INEC would create a level playing ground for all participants as well as abide by the commission’s core values, some of which included transparency, credibility, and fairness.
The Edo INEC boss said the commission would soon commence continuous voter registration exercise to enable persons that have attain the age of 18 since the last election participate in the elections.
According to him, “I also want to use this medium to assure the good people of Edo State because, since the Supreme Court judgment, there is this misconception of the judgment of the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court did not at any time say that INEC should not use the smart card readers. Indeed, it has been described as novel. I want to use this forum to inform the good people of Edo State that we shall make use of the smart card readers for the governorship election.
“In addition, you are perhaps aware that in the recent re-run election that we have had, we have had the cause to amend slightly the process of voting. We now do accreditation and voting simultaneously.”
The INEC boss added, “I want to fully seek your support in mobilizing the good people of Edo State to participate actively in all the activities of INEC. We will call on political parties to conduct their primaries as from 2nd June to the 4th of July, 2016. We will also expect that campaign will commence on Sunday 10th June 2016, while we will publish the official register of voters for the election on the 11th August 2016, while election proper will take place on the 10th of September.”
On his part, Governor Oshiomhole urged INEC to flush out corrupt officials who were fingered for aiding electoral fraud in the last general election.
Oshiomhole urged him to fight electoral fraud if full fledge democracy would be sustained.
According to Oshiomhole, “When you have criminals there, they need to be weeded out, with all due respect to you. So, it is more in your hand. You hold the knife and you also hold the yam, and even the banana and the coconut. So, how you play this instrument is what determines the outcome.
“I assure you whatever we can do to encourage the police and other security people to provide security, certainly we will do, but a lot, and I emphasize a lot rests with INEC.”
source: nigerianeye
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