PDP takes INEC to court over use of card reader for elections

The major opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court over the use of card readers for the general election.

The party is asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrict INEC from postponing elections in any polling unit as a result of a malfunctioning card reader.

As a way of ensuring card readers are fully utilized in the election, INEC had made provisions for postponement of elections in cases where smart card readers malfunction.

In this case, voting will be suspended till a new card reader arrives, or postponed till the next day if a replacement is not available by 2pm.

But in the suit dated February 11, PDP argued that INEC’s insistence — in its regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the elections — that a voter’s identity must be confirmed by the card reader is inconsistent with provisions of the electoral act.

The paragraph states: “10. (a) In accordance with Section 49 (2) of the Electoral Act, a person intending to vote shall be verified to be the same person on the Register of Voters by use of the Smart Card Reader (SCR) in the manner prescribed in these Regulations and Guidelines.

“(b) Any poll official who violates the provision of Clause 10 (a) shall be deemed to be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to prosecution.”

The party insisted that the above regulation does not align with section 49 of the electoral act.

Meanwhile here is what the section states: “(1) A person intending to vote with his voter’s card, shall present Issue of ballot papers himself to a Presiding Officer at the polling unit in the constituency in which his name is registered with his voter’s card.