Governor
Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has expressed total dissatisfaction with the
performance of the PVC card readers deployed by the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC to the State for elections as critical and sensitive as the
Presidential and National Assembly.
Speaking
with newsmen shortly after casting his vote alongside his wife, Rachel, at the
Oru-erewari Polling Unit 5, Ward 2 in Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area,
Governor Dickson called on the electoral body to take urgent steps to address
the failure of the card readers by resorting to manual accreditation, so as not
to disenfranchise a huge number of eligible voters across the State.
While,
urging the Independent National Electoral Commission to rise up to the occasion
to ensure a free, fair and credible electoral process, he, however, called on
Nigerians to exercise patience and understanding over the situation.
His
words: “The election in this area is going on smoothly and reports we have received
across the state also give an indication of a peaceful exercise. But, there are
issues here and there concerning the card readers and that is a concern that we
have always had from the beginning.
There are
some reports about the failure of the card readers to perform optimally. I hope
that, at the end of the exercise, so many of our people will not be
disenfranchised.
We believe that, INEC will know what to do so that, we get it
right. I like to appreciate and commend Bayelsans for the large turn out and
for their peaceful conduct.
He
commended Bayelsans for turning out en masse to exercise their franchise and
the maturity they exhibited during the accreditation and actual voting process.
According
to Governor Dickson, there was no reported cases of violence associated with
the election and expressed the hope that, the April 11th elections
will be peaceful as well.
In an
interview, the INEC Presiding Officer of the polling unit, Ms. Alabi Christiana
also lauded the people for the orderly manner they conducted themselves, adding
that, a total of 466 eligible voters were accredited for voting.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press
Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State
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