By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Vincent Ujumadu, Gbenga Ariyibi, Peter Okutu, Suzan Edeh, John Mkom, Davis Iheamnachor, Jude Opara and Festus Ahon

The test run of the Card Reader Machines proposed for the forthcoming general elections, carried out in 12 states, yesterday, exposed the flaws in the new voting technology introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Significantly, the machines failed to recognise Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in some states.

In many other states, the machines’ batteries went down after barely three hours of operation.

The batteries running down within the space of time may be an issue in an election in which voting may span at least six hours.

The failure of the biometric confirmation of potential voters was higher in the North.

Lagos State was, however, an exception as the exercise passed off smoothly with little hitches in the swiping of the PVCs and the biometric confirmation of the potential voters.

The exercise was carried out in Lagos, Ekiti, Anambra, Ebonyi, Taraba, Bauchi and Kano. The other states where the mock accreditation exercise took place were Kebbi, Delta and Rivers States.

Our worries – PDP
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said, yesterday, it was worried over the lapses in the testing of the Card Readers.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party noted that the fall-out from the test “vindicates earlier widespread calls by stakeholders that the Card Readers should be thoroughly tested to ascertain their workability for free, fair and credible elections before being deployed for the actual polls.”

Metuh, who said that the party had noted series of complaints from Nigerians regarding reported lapses experienced in the testing of the machines, stressed that it was waiting for official response from INEC.

temitemi1:
Then we postpone the election again n again until we get it right! More cry to apc . GEJ till 2019!!!

agabusta:
The PDP is at it again emphasising the little flaws that was recorded.

Either they like it or not, we'll send them parking from Aso villa.

It is time honest and people of integrity steer the affairs of this country.

GMB/PYO!

agabusta:
The PDP is at it again emphasising the little flaws that was recorded.

Either they like it or not, we'll send them parking from Aso villa.

It is time honest and people of integrity steer the affairs of this country.

GMB/PYO!

chukwudi44:


Little flaws ke? I hope you won't be the one to complain after the elections.

agabusta:


Papa you don come again? Good morning.
But why is your party and the govt you support so morbidly afraid of this card readers?

myhoodlink:


Not so bro. If this was the main election, GEJ would won by 95% due to the fact that majority of Kano voters (perceived stronghold of the opposition) had problems with the CR recognising their PVC just like Rivers State. Try follow the report on Channels TV. That may have resulted to the opposition calling for cancellation too. INEC would have put the country in a state of anarchy should that Feb 14 date not shifted. Could you imagine also that many are yet to see their PVCs? God bless Nigeria.



#TeamNeverAgain. ....................

onatisi:
bros u are trying to explain reasonable points to ppl who have no sense. Many of them don't know the kind of problem and chaos nigeria would have been now if gej had allowed inec to go ahead with the elections on the 14of feb. I am definitely sure some inec adhoc staff would have been killed by buhari human cows in the north who will view the deficiencies of the card reader as manipulation from pdp. This is the main reason why we keep saying card readers should have been used in ekiti and osun to see if they can withstand the rigours of our elections. This card reader that all these duummb mofos are shouting about is exactly what will destroy apc in the coming elections.