Senate Summons Jega Over Election Shift & Voter Card Reader

The Senate has summoned the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, to appear before a panel on Wednesday to demonstrate operational certainty of the card-reader to lawmakers.

The commission has resolved to use the machine to ascertain the authenticity of the Permanent Voter Cards to be used on elections day.

The invitation followed a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, at plenary on Tuesday.

Ndoma-Egba also said that the Senate reserved the right to inquire from the head of the electoral body the remote reason for the shift of the election dates.

“This motion has become expedient as the unfolding drama happened while the Senate was on recess.

I, therefore, move that the Senate invites the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to appear before the Senate at plenary on the listed issues

The commission should be made to demonstrate the operational capacity and certainty of the card reading machine,” he said.

On his part, Senator George Akume (APC-Benue) said Jega’s appearance would provide the electoral commission another opportunity to clear the air on some of the allegations that preceded the shift of the general elections.

Akume, who is the Senate Minority Leader, also submitted that the three Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police should be invited along with Jega.

According to him, the meeting will provide the right atmosphere for the security operatives to state the reason why they opted for the delay in the elections.

“In inviting Jega, we should also invite those who wrote to him advising him that the exercise should not hold.

We want to hear from them as to why they cannot provide security for an exercise that will last a day or two,” he said.

Reacting, the President of the Senate, David Mark, said both the Senate leader and the Senate minority leader had raised the issue in chamber.

“The Senate has the oversight function to hold government officials to account for their stewardships and so I do not object to the motion,’’ he said.

The motion received unanimous support from members of the assembly.