The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, is uncomfortable with the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The governorship hopeful, therefore, on Monday dared the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to test-run the Card Reader machines, if he has the gut.
While he lambasted Jega with two pertinent questions bordering on data efficiency and power outage, he challenged him to produce evidence that the shifted election would be free, fair and credible.
Ogboru, who briefed journalists on the postponement of the general elections in Asaba on Monday, expressed dismay that the commission under Jega, which failed to overcome the confusion posed by the Electronic Machines it introduced in 2011, now proposes to use Card Reader machines.
He faulted the commission for turning Nigeria into a dumping ground of electoral machines.
He said: “If INEC has the gut, let it test run the card reader machines.
“Till today, nothing good came out of Jega’s Electronic Machines.
“Now he has come with Card Reader Machines.
“I think it is high time he stopped using Nigeria as a testing ground.”
According to Ogboru, the six weeks postponement should avail the commission to restore its battered image by not only test-running the process but conduct free, fair and credible elections by next month.
He continued: “I am not bordered about the rescheduling of the elections, but I am worried about the N90 billion already invested
in the process and the processes leading to the exercise.”
in the process and the processes leading to the exercise.”He urged the commission to do what is needful within the six weeks postponement by ascertaining the workability of the machines in at least two council areas per state before the elections proper.
Ogboru added: “This is a point that we will not overlook.
“This is to avoid a situation whereby the machines will work in one state and fail in another state.”
He said he will not relent in his determination to salvage Delta State from the alleged 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party misrule, a dding: “I am the last standing progressive in Nigeria today.
“My ambition to still be governor of Delta State, having contested and won my elections thrice but I was denied my victory, is very much intact.”
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