Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has assured Nigerians of the electoral body’s resolve to work towards ensuring that future elections in the country were concluded in the first ballot.
He also assured that INEC was poised to address the glaring technological hiccups associated with the use of Smart Card Readers
Professor Yakubu gave the assurances yesterday at the 11th Public Lecture of The Electoral Institute (TEI) with the topic: “Between Refuge and Rights: Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Inclusive Electoral Process in Nigeria”, held at the TEI auditorium, Abuja.
Yakubu, who pointed out that INEC was satisfied with the processes, procedures as well as the conduct of the two governorship and two State Assembly elections conducted so far under his leadership, admitted that there had been reports of glitches in the operation and functionality of the Smart Card Readers with particular respect to the biometric authentication of voters.
“Although the reported cases were not substantial to mar the elections, we are nevertheless determined that we address these challenges in future elections at whatever level it may occur, be it at the level of technology with the machine or staff training and the handling of equipment by electoral officials.
“The Smartcard Reader is still a technology in its pioneering stages in our election, but has already revolutionized elections. It has come to stay and whatever we need to do to make it work better, we will do”, he added.
Prof. Yakubu also promised that the commission would take a critical look at the two governorship elections – Kogi and Bayelsa – with a view to learning the appropriate lessons that would help ensure that elections were concluded in the first ballot.
