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Tag: Card Reader

  • 2019: PDP sues INEC over card reader

    Nigeria’s main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the use of card readers for the 2019 general election.

    The party asked a federal high court in Abuja the court to restrict INEC from postponing elections in any polling unit as a result of a malfunctioning card reader.

    According to the electoral body, should there be any case of card reader malfunctions, voting will be suspended till a new card reader arrives or postponed till the next day if a replacement is not available by 2 pm.

    The country’s presidential and National Assembly poll is scheduled for February 16.

    In the suit, the party argued that INEC’s insistence — in its regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the elections — that a voter’s identity must be confirmed by the card reader is inconsistent with provisions of the electoral act.

    Details later…

  • Rowdy session in House of Reps as card reader passes amendment

    Rowdy session in House of Reps as card reader passes amendment

    As the 2019 general elections draws closer by days, the House of Representatives witnessed a rowdy session over the propriety or otherwise of the inclusion of the Card Reader in the amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 before the House.
    This happened during the consideration of the report of the House Committee on Electoral and Political Party Matters chaired by Hon.Aisha Dukku at the Committee of the Whole which traditionally is chaired by the Deputy Speaker.
    But the House became rowdy when when the inclusion of the Card Reader and any other technological devices in the revised and amended Act was read at the clause by clause consideration of the report of the Committee which came up.
    Dukku who informed the lawmakers that there are eleven areas or observations as raised by the President on the report had revealed that the Committee met severally to review the issues raised by the Presidency which she noted had declined assent to the amended Act three times.
    According to her, section 9 of the amended Act is amended by substituting the word Card Reader.
    Moreover section 18 of the Act provides that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC shall issue a Permanent Voters Card PVC to a person eligible to vote up to 60 days before the election.
    It further provides that a political party which presents a candidate who does not meet the qualification requirement specified in the Act Commits an offence and is liable to a fine of N10 million.
    But some lawmakers picked homes with the inclusion of the card reader and any other electronic devises in the amended Act.
    Femi Gbajabiamila the House Leader had urged the House to be circumspect whenever it is considering matters as sensitive as election noting that the card reader is a device that can be changed by the electoral umpire at any time.
    He cited the case of Kaduna State in which local council elections were conducted without the card reader instead a different electronic device was deployed to check electoral malpractices.
    Other lawmakers as Hon.Aminu Shagari (Sokoto, APC) and Hon. Simon Arabo (Kaduna, APC) also noted that the inclusion of the word ‘any other electronic devices’ in the amended Act would not be in the nations best interest towards a free and fair election.
    Consequently the Deputy Speaker Hon. Yusuff Lasun thereafter put the matter to vote and the ‘Ays’ voted overwhelmingly for it.
    Lasun later shelved the report being considered and adjourned the House to Thursday after clause by clause approval of 27 clauses of amended Act.

  • INEC will continue to upgrade card readers, National Commissioner promises

    INEC will continue to upgrade card readers, National Commissioner promises

    The Independent National Electoral Commission said on Saturday that it would continue to upgrade its card readers for optimal performance.

    The INEC National Commissioner, North East Zone, Alhaji Baba-Shittima Arfo, said this in an interview with journalists in Bauchi.

    News Agency of Nigeria reports that Arfo was in Bauchi to supervise the Southern Bauchi senatorial bye-election.

    “We had hitches in two or three places where the card readers either did not function due to improper coding or ran out of power.

    “We had earlier raised the status of the card readers and today, where we noticed some problem, we sent generating sets to backup.

    “We had hitches in either one or two places and these have been addressed. So, as far as I am concerned, the exercise is going on very successfully,” Arfo said.

    Speaking on the general conduct of the by-election in Bauchi South, he said he was very impressed.

    “I am quite satisfied with what I have seen; I have visited about five or six polling stations and many of them (card readers) were working very well.

    “The turnout was also very large in every station we visited; people were in long queues, in double queues or triple queues.

    “I am very sure we are going to have a very successful election at the end of the day,” he said.

    NAN

  • Fayemi expresses optimism as card reader rejects wife’s PVC

    Fayemi expresses optimism as card reader rejects wife’s PVC

    The candidate of the APC in the ongoing governorship election in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, says his wife’s vote is important to him.

    Speaking when the card reader failed to recognise his wife’s PVC, after he himself had voted at Unit 9 Ward 11 in Isan Ekiti, the governorship candidate said his wife’s vote was one vote he could not afford to joke with.

    He, however, said his wife, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, would come back to vote.

    Fayemi also said he believed in the process and that was why he contested and came out to vote.

    He said his expectation was that he would win the election and would be declared the winner accordingly, going by his “track record.”

     

    Details later…

  • Why we won’t use card readers for forthcoming LG polls – OYSIEC

    Why we won’t use card readers for forthcoming LG polls – OYSIEC

    The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC has said it will not make use of card readers during the February 11 Local Government election scheduled to hold in the state.

    The commission also said with the assistance of the security agents, it will restrict human and vehicular movement during the election period.

    Chairman of the commission, Mr. Jide Ajekigbe made these disclosure on Thursday while briefing journalists at the commission’s headquarters on the amended timetable of the election and the preparation of the commission for the election.

    Ajekigbe while answering questions from journalists informed that the local government law has not yet recognized the use of card readers, hence, the commission will not make use of it to avoid unnecessary problems.

    He said the commission was ready to conduct free and fair election in 4783 polling booths and 5620 polling points in all the 33 LGs and 35 LCDAs in the state.

    In his words: “We are not using card readers for the election. The usage of card readers will not be tolerated, so we are not using card readers. Even the local government law does not permit the usage of card readers.

    “We want to avoid unnecessary problems and questions during the election. I don’t want a situation where someone will be mentioning my name, saying his or her fingers were not captured and all that.

    “On the day of election, there will be restriction of movement for that day, we want our people to stay indoors and come and vote during the election hours.”

    Ajekigbe said despite the economic challenges in the country, the commission is confident that it will conduct the election without any financial challenges.

    “However, it is important to stress that Oyo State as a member of the Nigerian Community cannot be insulated from the adverse consequences of the Global Economic Crisis. We, therefore, wish to assure all stakeholders and citizens that these situations will not in any way affect the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

    ” The commission has been taking necessary steps towards a successful and credible election. We have met with the leaders of the political parties, non-governmental organizations like National Orientation Agency and State Security Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

    “The commission has also gone round the thirty-three (33) Local Government Areas and thirty-five (35) Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to inspect Oyo State Independent electoral Commission offices and ascertain their level of preparedness towardS ensuring a free, fair and credible poll.”

  • Buhari swears in 6 INEC Commissioners

    Buhari swears in 6 INEC Commissioners

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday swore in six Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and expressed concern over the integrity of the nation’s electoral processes.

    The president charged the commissioners to be firm and fair in the discharge of their duties, urging them to help consolidate the integrity of the electoral body

    “This administration is extremely concerned with the integrity of the electoral processes. You are people of great integrity, renowned throughout the country. This administration will depend on you to be firm and fair.

    “What this administration expects after we have gone, Nigerians will read the political history and know that we served Nigeria.

    “Woo Nigerians to use Permanent Voters Card (PVC), cross checked by card reader, that they have been given the opportunity,” he said.

    The president, who frowned at the way bye-elections were conducted in some states of the federation, said government would continue to ensure violent-free elections in the country.

    He congratulated the commissioners for their new appointments.

    Responding on behalf of the commissioners, Mr Okechukwu Ibeano, pledged that they would discharge their duties diligently.

    He also thanked the president and Nigerians for giving them the opportunity to serve the nation.

    “On behalf of my five colleagues, I thank the President and Nigerians for giving us this special and challenging opportunity to serve this country.

    “We pledge to discharge our duties, responsibilities and functions as contained in the oath of allegiance and oath of office which we have just sworn to.

    “We seek the support and prayers of the government and people of Nigeria so that we can discharge our functions to the best of our abilities and contribute to improve the advances and achievements that have been recorded in our electoral processes so far.

    The six INEC commissioners sworn in by the President are Okechukwu Obinna Ibeanu (Anambra), May I. Agbamuche-Mbu (Delta) and retired AVM Ahmed Mu’Azu from Gombe state.

    Others are Mohammed Kudu Haruna (Niger), Mr Adekunle Ogunmola (Oyo) and Abubakar Nahuche from Zamfara.