Akeredolu Laments Card Readers Malfunction, Berates INEC
As sorting and counting continues across Ondo State in the just concluded elections, APC candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, has lamented the malfunctioning of some smart card readers deployed for the exercise.
Akeredolu, who spoke at his Owo residence after casting his vote, also said INEC ought to have test run the devices before election day.
He said reports had indicated that some of the devices were malfunctioning.
The APC candidate, however, said that his major concern was the commission ensuring free, credible and fair election.
PDP flagbearer, Eyitayo Jegede, and his Alliance for Democracy counterpart, Wole Oke, had also complained about the malfunctioning card readers.
The card reader had also rejected Gov. Olusegun Mimiko’s thumbprint when he wanted to vote at his Ward 7, Unit 20 Polling Unit in Ondo West Local Government Area.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Segun Agbaje, however, said the commission has more than 250 spare smart card readers to replace those malfunctioning.
“I have called the Head of Department of ICT to get smart cards for areas with smart card challenges.
“Card reader is not a major challenge because it can be addressed within 10 to 20 minutes; we have over 250 smart card readers for exchange in case of malfunction,’’ Agbaje had said.
