The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, on Tuesday said the deployment of card readers by the Independent National Electoral Commission to accredit voters is contrary to Section 52 of the Electoral Act 2010.
In a motion which came under matters of urgent public national importance at the resumed Senate plenary in Abuja on Tuesday, Ndoma-Egba said it was necessary that senators get briefed adequately on the matter by INEC.
“It is necessary that Jega brings the card readers here to demonstrate how it works to us,” he said.
As such, the Senate invited the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to appear before it on Wednesday (today) over the botched February general elections.
The Senate Leader argued that Jega had a week before the postponement assured Nigerians that the commission was ready to conduct the election until the security issue was raised by the service chiefs.
However, the Senate Minority Leader, George Akume (APC, Benue) contended that whereas he was not against Jega’s summon, it was also important that the Senate invites the service chiefs who compelled INEC to shift the polls due to their inability to provide security.
“INEC has said it was ready until the issue of security was raised by the service chiefs. They should therefore come here and tell us why they failed to provide security for the just a day or two exercise,” Akume argued.
The Minority Leader further argued that the excuse given that the military would be busy fighting the Boko Haram insurgents was not tenable because it was only 7,000 regional troops that were required, whereas Nigeria has over 100,000 troops.
However, Senate President, David Mark, blocked moves to summon the military chiefs.
According to Mark, they should first hear from Jega and if “he shifts the blame in any direction, then we will ask them to come.”
Mark then asked senators to come with their Permanent Voter Cards on Wednesday (today) by 11am to enable them test the card readers.
Daily Trust.
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