Daniel Kanu
Assistant Political Editor
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that there was nothing to panic about on the performance of the Smart Card Readers to be used at the forthcoming general elections.
The commission expressed confidence that the card readers had been enhanced for better performance.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye gave the assurance yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said that the commission did not expect the card readers to malfunction.
According to Okoye “The batteries of the enhanced card readers can last longer now. The window of the smart card reader is wider and can read fingerprints better now.
“We have upgraded the smart card readers and the ones to be used for the election are smart card readers that can perform very well.
“So, we do not envisage the issue of malfunction. It will be reduced to the barest minimum.
“The issue of card readers unable to read peoples biometrics will be reduced to the barest minimum,”.
He noted further that the commission had required qualities as well as quantity to conduct the nationwide elections.
“What we did was to make up for shortfalls. Additional cards readers that we wanted have already arrived in the country and have been distributed to all the states.
“So, we don’t have challenge to the quality of smart card readers that would be used for these elections,” he disclosed further.
The Niche gathered that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu has ordered a comprehensive water-tight and round-the-clock security for INEC offices and facilities nationwide.
Consequently, Command Commissioners of Police in the 36 states of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been directed to put in place adequate, functional and purposeful security arrangements aimed at protecting the INEC offices and materials from all forms of crimes and mischief- before, during and after the elections.
