Presidency, PDP reject card reader for election

There were indications that the
Presidency and the Peoples
Democratic Party were already
commencing tactics aimed at
frustrating the decision of the
Independent National Electoral
Commission to make use of card
readers for the 2015 elections.
Investigations by our
correspondent in Abuja on Monday
and Tuesday, indicated that the
ruling party and the Presidency
were already looking at the
possibility of mobilising Nigerians
to demand that the use of card
readers for the election be
stopped.
This is coming as a former National
Chairman of the ruling party, who is
now a chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress, Chief Audu
Ogbeh, said there were signs that
the PDP was not interested in
holding the elections.
Rather, Ogbeh said, the party was
still hell-bent on foisting interim
government on Nigeria.
A source in the Presidency, who
spoke on condition of anonymity
with our correspondent in Abuja on
Tuesday, said that both the
Presidency and some members of
the National Working Committee of
the party had been asked to
continue to either condemn the
use of the card readers for the
elections or also that the
commission be told to allow
Nigerians to use the Temporary
Voter Card instead of the
Permanent Voter Card for the
election.
He said, “We are not comfortable
with the card readers. For example,
we have not seen any and we don’t
know how it works.
“What will happen if the card
readers fail to work? We have not
even been told that they would not
fail. And if they fail, what would
happen. I think the issue of card
readers must be re-examined.”
The commission had said that it
would introduce card readers for
voters’ accreditation in order to
verify the rightful owners of PVCs.
It said that the device would
eliminate impersonation and
voting by proxy during the
elections.
Meanwhile, the Director General of
the PDP Presidential Campaign
Organisation, Amadi Ali, on Monday
criticised the electoral commission
for the postponed elections.
He said the electoral body was not
fully ready for the polls.
Ali, who spoke at a press
conference which was also
attended by the Director of Media
and Publicity of the organisation,
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, also
criticised the use of card readers for
the elections.
He said, “There are also reports that
the PVC readers are not fully
distributed and tested. How can
INEC handle cases of faulty card
readers?
“Do they have a credible plan B in
situation where voters line up and
the card readers refuse to work?
Ballot boxes are reportedly
inadequate. Adequate training of
INEC’s members of staff for the
election had not been concluded
and other problems facing INEC.
“Quite clearly the shift in election
date is meant to save INEC from
monumental embarrassment. I
would like to reiterate that the PDP
is ready for the election any day.”
But Ogbeh in a statement, insisted
that the PDP was not ready for the
elections and advised Nigerians to
reject any call for the installation of
ING by the government.
He said that the letter sent to the
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru
Jega, by the National Security
Adviser, Col. Dansuki Sambo (retd.),
in which he asked for elections
postponement by six weeks must
be properly digested by Nigerians.
Ogbeh said, “Does this not suggest
that we should expect high level
theatric manipulation as the six
weeks get closer to convince us
that another six weeks will be
necessary?
“Isn’t this a ploy to ensure we enter
May 29 without an election on the
grounds of a nationwide
instability? Doesn’t this then give
credence to the rumours, and
indeed, the declaration in a rowdy
press conference four days ago by
Dr. Doyin Okupe that they have no
intention of handing over to Maj.
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)?
“Isn’t this leading to the strongly
rumoured Interim National
Government? It is time for all
Nigerians to take heed that there is
a stormy and dark clouds ahead.”
He said that Nigeria had been
reduced to children’s playground
where individuals and groups
presumed that they could name on
their own without recourse to the
constitution and the slightest
respect for the 170 million
Nigerians.