Atiku Media press release.. We Insist on Smart Card Readers and PVCs As INEC Had Promised

ATIKU MEDIA PRESS RELEASE

We Insist on Smart Card Readers and PVCs As INEC Had
Promised

Abuja, 03 Jan, 2019:

The Presidential candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has noted with
deep concern, reports that contrary to its promise of 2018,
made at different times and in multiple locations, that it
would not use the controversial incident forms, the
Independent National Electoral Commission has
backtracked and decided to allow the use of the unreliable
incident forms.

This is unacceptable to the Peoples Democratic Party and
Atiku Abubakar. Any decision to use incident forms in the
February 16, 2019 elections is an attempt to toe the line of
President Muhammadu Buhari, who thrice refused to sign
the amended Electoral Act, for fear of the use of card
readers, which would prevent rigging by desperate power
mongers.

Atiku Abubakar notes that data from the 2015 elections
show that 75% of the almost 14 million people who voted
without biometric accreditation in 2015, were linked to
Muhammadu Buhari.

There are no reliable and accurate means of knowing who
those voters were and whether they were genuine voters or
sham voters. This disproportionate number of voters who
voted without biometric accreditation in 2015 affected the
integrity of those elections and we hold the INEC to its oft-
repeated promise not to use anything but the Smart Card
Readers and PVCs for the 2019 elections.

We know that the Muhammadu Buhari administration has
been desperate to avoid the use of Smart Card Readers and
PVCs for the 2019 elections and the reported volte face by
the INEC can only raise concerns about the voice of Jacob
and the hand of Esau.

Atiku Abubakar reminds the INEC that the world is watching
and Nigerians are alert to see if the present Chairman and
board of INEC would place national interests above narrow
oligarchic interest.

We further remind the Chairman of the INEC, Professor
Mahmood Yakubu of his promise to Nigerians at the Nigeria
Civil Society Situation Room National Stakeholders’ Forum
on Elections which held in Abuja on December 10, 2018,
where he said as follows:

“The commission assures Nigerians that the smart card
reader has become an integral part of the electoral process
and will be deployed for the conduct of the 2019 general
elections. The commission has taken onboard the
challenges and glitches faced in the use and deployment of
smart card readers in 2015 and has made significant
improvements and upgrade to the said smart card readers.”

Our question is this - what has changed between December
10, 2018 and today? Has Professor Mahmood Yakubu caved
into pressures from anti-democratic forces?

At ₦143 billion, it is safe to say that more than enough
funds were appropriated for the INEC to acquire and
distribute Smart Card Readers, as such there is no reason
for this 180 degree turn.

The job of the INEC is to give Nigerians a level playing field
and an election that reflects the will of the people and not
that of their oppressors. These reports do not incite hope.
Not at all.

We once again want to sound the alarm that only the strict
use of Smart Card Readers and PVCs can guarantee free,
fair and credible elections that will be accepted by Nigerians
and the international community.

Signed:

Paul Ibe
Media Adviser to HE Atiku Abubakar

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