INEC, Gana differ on use of card readers for polls

A former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, sharply disagreed, yesterday, on the desirability of using the Smart Card Reader machines for the purpose of authenticating voters eligible to participate in the forthcoming general elections.
Gana, who is the Chairman Contact and Mobilisation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the
commission clashed at the formal presentation of a book, “Guide to Understanding Electoral Offences,” which was written by a staff of INEC, Mr. Matthew Ugwuocha.iNEC-CARD
Whereas Gana, who chaired the occasion, in his opening remarks, insisted that using the card reader machines for the election might frustrate the electorate and occasion chaos and crisis across the federation, INEC through its Director, Voter Education, Mr. Osaze Uzi, countered him, saying no amount of pressure would make it to jettison either the use of the Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, or the card reader machines for March 28 and April 11 elections.
It was Gana’s argument that the commission ought to have used less important elections to test the efficacy of the technology before insisting on applying it for the general elections.
He said it would be cumbersome and time sapping for agents of INEC to effectively verify/authenticate all the PVCs before the actual commencement of voting on the election days.
He said: “If we are not careful, there may be a lot of chaos and confusion on the election day especially with regards to this issue of card readers. Unfortunately, there was no time for INEC to test the card readers, it is being used for the first time with most of the electorate and staff of the commission yet to even see or know how it works. I have not been fortunate to see one myself.
“In a big nation like Nigeria with more than 68 million voters, you don’t just wake up and introduce a new innovation in such manner. INEC should have tested the process in smaller elections and when it is proved that it is good enough, introduce it for a national election. I urge INEC to take a second look at the issue, if you are not very sure that it will work in the country, leave it, let it not be a crisis-generator.”
Meanwhile, before Gana could take his seat, INEC whose chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, earlier spoke through its Director Legal Services, Mr. I. K. Bawa, said it must respond to the issues that were raised by Gana.
Uzi who defended the electoral body said it would be wishful thinking for anyone to think that INEC would dump the use of the card reader machines which he said were successfully used in Ghana and other African countries.
He said: “The introduction of technology into our election process is inevitable. Twelve years ago, there was nothing like GSM in this country and as at that time none of us here knew how to operate a GSM phone, but today, are we not all effectively using GSM phones?
“We at INEC have resolved to consider and project anything that will improve the integrity and credibility of our electoral process.”
He said that staff of the commission as well as NYSC members have been duly trained on not just how to operate the card reader machines, but on the nitty-gritty of election, saying they have been tutored on how to be civil, polite and friendly to electorates on the election days.
The book which was unveiled yesterday x-rayed different forms of electoral offences vis-à-vis the provisions of the Electoral Act that covers them.
It has 223 pages that were divided into five parts with each of the parts subdivided into 11 chapters.