The Independent National Electoral Commission has selected 12 states, including Ekiti, to test run the workability of the smart card readers to be used for the general election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Sam Olumekun, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday, said the exercise would be conducted in designated wards in the state on Saturday.
Olumekun said Dallimore Ward 09, Ado Ekiti, with a total registered voters of about 21,631 out of which over 14, 461 had collected their Permanent Voter Cards, had been selected for the exercise.
The INEC Chief said the test-run idea was mooted to convince Nigerians about the relevance of the smart card readers and to identify the challenges that could probably be encountered and get ready to proffer solutions to them for Nigeria to have a hitch-free polls.
The REC also said at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee meeting comprising all security chiefs, that adequate provision of security would play a critical role in the success of the forthcoming polls.
He called on the security personnel to brace up and display patriotism in the interest of the nation.
Olumekun said INEC had taken delivery of sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the polls, adding that the Commission would create Registration Area Centres on the day of election to ease free movement of materials for prompt commencement of voting processes.
He added: “Arising from some misgivings of certain sections and stakeholders about the use of smart card readers for voter authentication, the commission has decided that the device should be put to test under real settings to determine the efficacy of the machines, identify problems, if any, with a view to rectify it.”
Olumekun added that the ward was selected in compliance with INEC’s set standard that the exercise should be performed in polling units with registered voters more than 300.
He said the exercise would cover registration areas and cut across rural, urban, humid, riverine, very hot or cold regions.
“This will help test the card readers under all terrains,” he said.
The REC posited that he will meet with all relevant stakeholders, including politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society organizations, to mobilize voters for the exercise.
Olumekun said the commission was fully prepared for the elections, calling on Nigerians to join hands with it to prevent its efforts from being sabotaged.
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