INEC Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega has said that there is no going back on the planned use of card readers in the forthcoming general elections.
Prof Jega stated this when he appeared before the senate to explain preparation for the 2015 general elections.
The INEC boss disclosed that the card reader device is adopted to authenticate PVC, determine demography of voters as well as to be used to send message to INEC Server as regards the number of voters in each polling unit.
He also said that the commission is satisfied with the test conducted to determine efficacy of the card reader adding that it will take a maximum of ten to thirty seconds to read a card.
Prof Jega also stated that contrary to insinuation in some quarters, the use of card reader does not violate the electoral Act or the 1999 Constitution as amended.
A senator from Borno State, Ali Ndume, who referred to himself as “those of us internally displaced persons”, sought to know how the commission intend to conduct elections in the camps whereas there was not fresh registration of eligible voters in the camps.
He argued that even if the military succeed in recapturing the territories occupied by the terrorists, it is not likely that the citizens will return within the time of the extension.
Prof. Jega explained that the extension has given INEC more time to review and reassess its plans for the election. He assured that senate that the commission is more prepared than ever to give the country an election that will be an improvement from all previous elections in the country.
