Smart Card Reader: INEC recants, says item still statutory

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman

The Independent National Electoral Commission(lNEC) has said it would continue to use and deploy the Smart Card Reader(SCR) in all elections,  including the rerun elections in the Kogi West Senatorial District, the Ajaokuta Federal Constituency and Sabuwa State Constituency elections scheduled for tomorrow.

The electoral body clarification was coming on the heels of remarks attributed to its National Commissioner and  Chairman Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye who on Wednesday said the Smart Card Reader has lost relevance.

Speaking at the Nigerian Civil Societies Situation Room Review of Kogi and Bayelsa elections, the INEC National Commissioner said court do not recognise the SCR  as a means of proving over voting.

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He said:” We must also find a solution to the issues of Smart Card Reader. The Smart Reader has lost its efficacy. The Smart Card Reader has lost its vibrancy in relation in relation to the electoral process because the political elite has found a way around it.

” So rather than use the Smart Card Reader, they just ignore it because, ultimately, they know that when they get to the Court, what the court will be saying is that: ” you want to prove over voting? We want to see the voter register and we want INEC forms and not the Smart Card Reader.

”So, as far as I am concerned, the Smart Card Reader has become a redundant instrument and inconsequential. ”

But the Commission in a statement on Thursday, Barrister Okoye said he spoke in the context of attempts by some political interests to willfully by-pass the Smart Card Reader during elections to inflate their votes.  He claimed that ”They do this against the backdrop of the Supreme Court decision that the SCR is not to be used exclusively to determine over- voting. ”

INEC maintained that in the electoral process, the Smart Card Reader remained an  ”additional confirmatory and authentication tool to determine the authenticity of cards presented by voters and eliminate impersonation, which are serious challenges to the electoral process in Nigeria. The SCR is therefore designed to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and eliminate multiple voting. ”

His statement further read in part :” Political Parties, candidates in election, Poll Agents and the electorate are reminded that voter resistance to the use of the Smart Card Reader and obstruction and resistance to the deployment/distribution of electoral materials constitute unlawful truncation of the electoral process and zero votes will be entered for the affected polling unit.

”The Commission will continue to work with the National Assembly and all the critical stakeholders to reduce malpractices in our electoral process, including over voting. As part of this process, strengthening the legal basis of the use of the SCR, as well as other amendments that will advance the electoral process would be vigorously pursued. The Commission will also continue to work with the security agencies and other stakeholders to prevent individuals and/or groups from undermining the use and application of the Smart Card Reader in elections. ”