The Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-South region, yesterday, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC not to use the card reader to rig the party out of power in the March 28 presidential election.
Handing down the warning during the South-South zonal executive meeting of the party, in Asaba, Delta State Chairman of PDP in the zone, Dr Cairo Ojuogbo, said the zone was against the decision of INEC to make its Chairman, Prof. Attaihiru Jega, the sole appointee of collation officers across states in the federation for the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections.
Ojuogbo, however, said the PDP in the region was not against the card reader, but that it should not be used to disenfranchise eligible voters, stressing that anybody with the Permanent Voters Card, PVC, should also be allowed to vote. On whether the card reader would be used for the election or not, he said the issue was being handled by the party at the national level. On the appointment of collation officers, he alleged that Prof. Jega had already directed one of his aides who is a card carrying member of the APC to nominate those to be appointed as collation officers for the elections.