Electoral Act: Capture Use Of Card Readers In Amendment, Ensure Validity Of Votes Says Wike, Group

According to a statement by his media aide, Mr Kelvin Ebiri, the governor made this known on Monday during a television interview in Port Harcourt.

Wike also said that several attempts to achieve a credible electoral reform had been mired by overriding personal ambition of persons with vested political interest within and outside the National Assembly.

The governor alleged that most National Assembly members were often preoccupied with the next election and tended to skew the electoral amendment Act to benefit their interest and that of their political party.

He alleged: “Why didn’t the President sign the last amended Electoral Act, why? Because APC as a party had informed the president that if you sign this electoral amendment, you are likely to lose the election. Therefore, don’t sign it.

 “And of course, the President did not sign the electoral amendment Act. I am not carried away by the antics of the National Assembly. They all know what will make the country to move forward.

“One, make the election to be transparent by ensuring that all votes are counted. You can achieve that by allowing the card reader to function. So that the figures recorded on the card reader should tally with the transmitted figures.”

Also speaking on the appointment of new Service Chiefs, the governor advised them to shun politics and concentrate on strategy that would enable them to expeditiously end insurgency in the country.

Wike also advised the new Service Chiefs to preoccupy themselves by mapping out strategy that improve the security architecture of the country.

Similarly, a Non-Governmental Organisation, People’s Life Improvement Foundation (PLIF) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the amendment of 2010 Electoral Act to include Voters accreditation by Biometric process.

The PLIF’s call was made by its International President, Chief Precious Elekima, in an interview with the on Monday in Port Harcourt.

According to the group, President Mohammadu Buhari should ensure that such amendment is made before the end of his tenure to “ensure immediate voting by electronic voting; immediate counting by electronic counting’’.

“It is possible to have a proper election by biometric process. No other thing can cure Nigeria’s electoral process. Until citizens have the opportunity to choose by themselves those to lead them. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to amend the 2010 Electoral Act before his departure. God will give him the ability to resist those who will try to stop him from amending the said Act. By so doing, he will leave a legacy for himself and his family and will have the support of all right thinking Nigerians.”

 According to Elekima, “the architecture of the banking system has shown that it is very possible to achieve this”.

“People make electronic transfers without necessarily going to the bank for such transactions. This is an architecture that is workable. The issue of “no light” does not arise.

“This is what we want as an organization: amend the Electoral Act to ensure use of finger prints and electronic submission of results.

“We will work with Nigerians and those he called other friends of Nigeria whose economies are overstretched; those Nigerians seeking asylum in foreign countries of those migrating to other lands. We are mobilising Nigerians for this. It is our view that until the electoral Act is amended peace, security, economic peace and prosperity will continue to elude Nigeria.”