Jega, who was grilled for about four
hours by the Senate on INEC’s preparedness for the elections as well as the
effectiveness of the use of card readers for the accreditation of voters,
affirmed that the commission was ready to conduct credible, free, fair and
transparent elections. He, nevertheless, confessed that the postponement of the
election had offered the commission the opportunity of extra preparation.
Meanwhile, a move by some members of
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, legislators in the House of Representatives
to summon Jega for a similar consultation was blocked by All Progressives
Congress, APC, lawmakers who now outnumber those of the PDP.
Opposition by Senators Odion Ugbesia
(PDP, Edo)and Heineken Lokpobiri (PDP, Bayelsa) to the introduction of the card
reader on the claim that it is unconstitutional was rejected by Jega who
insisted that there was no going back on it.
He premised his insistence on what he
described as solid legal advice, pointing out that the development would help
produce a credible process. He added that the commission would conduct a mock
election with the use of card readers before the main election to calm frayed
nerves.
According to him, INEC was prepared
to face any litigation that might arise from the use of the card readers.
He also said that politicians, who
were stealing, cloning or buying the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, from people,
were wasting time as the card readers would not recognise such cards during
accreditation.
Culled: VanguardNg
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