Monday 16 February 2015

Check Out Why APC Said Jonathan, PDP Is Opposing Voter's Card Readers




The All Progressives Congress presidential campaign said the Presidency and Peoples Democratic Party's opposition to the use of card readers for the next month elections as proposed by INEC is targeted at rigging the polls.
The campaign described this as the latest ploy by the ruling PDP and the Presidency as the precursor to the move to stampede the resignation of Professor Attahiru Jega before the appointment of a pliable lackey, who will do the hatchet job of stopping the use of the card readers.
A statement by the campaign media and pubbllicity director Malam Garba Shehu Friday said the INEC’s decision to use the card readers was borne out of the need for ensuring electoral transparency and integrity.
"Aside the huge financial investment involved in the procurement of the Card Readers, the PDP’s desire to hoodwink the Nigerian people on this anti-rigging device, is not just subterranean but an affront on the independence of the electoral body," he said.
"We are equally aware that this is the latest gambit of the ruling party in its desire to thwart the electoral wishes of majority of Nigerian electorate. We are aware also of the use of its tested and well-oiled rigging machine of unregistered voters and accentuation of same by the use of soldiers that had been specially trained and reserved for that nefarious purpose," the opposition campaign spokesperson said.
"We have said it that, based on the ruling of the Federal High Court, Sokoto against the use of soldiers for election duties, our party is opposed to the use of soldiers for the election days on 28th March and 11th April, 2015," Shehu said.
 ‎He said: "we insist that the use of card readers for authenticating the propriety of the Permanent Voters’ Cards presented and ultimately, accreditation of Voters, as envisioned by INEC. These, in our estimation as a credible Party, remain the irreducible minimum that must form the basis for the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections on 28th March and 11th April, 2015.