INEC Chairman Jega Appears Before Senate | Explains Why Elections Were Postponed & Voters’ Card Reader Technology

 

INEC boss, Attahiru Jega, was on Wednesday summoned by the Senate to explain why the 2015 elections were postponed, and to explain the process of how the permanent voter card readers would be used during the election.

On why the elections were postponed

According to Vanguard, Jega stated that INEC had been prepared to hold elections on February 14th, but was persuaded by the country’s chiefs to postpone the date to the security concerns. National Security Advisor Sambo Dasuki and other high-ranking officials had reportedly expressed concern that they would be unable to provide election security nationwide, as they were battling Boko Haram in the northeast.

Jega also assured Nigerians that there would be no further postponement of the elections, as it would be unconstitutional to do so.

On how card readers would be used

Jega explained that the card readers would have nothing to do with the actual voting, but would simply to be used in accrediting voters, Daily Post reports. He also stated that INEC had conducted a mock test on the card readers in all six geopolitical zones of the country, and ascertained that the devices are in good working order.

There was also a physical demonstration of how the card readers would actually work.

Also, he stated that as at Tuesday, distribution of PVCs across the country was at 75.94 percent.