Experts at the Centre for Democracy and Development’s (CDD) election analysis centre (EAC) say the use of smart card readers have remained problematic.
They spoke during a preliminary assessment of the gubernatorial and state assembly elections held on Saturday.
CDD said the observers it deployed in 17 “battleground states” complained that there were still issues with card readers.
“Of the three functions the card readers — authenticating, accrediting, and biometric capture — the challenge appears most common with the biometric capture,” the report read.
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“In some places where they deliberately refused to use the smart card readers, manual voting was reported by our observers in locations like polling unit in Kazawa Primary school; polling unit in Kazawa ward of Kano central senatorial district and in Unwanar Ganji open space ward in Rimi Gado of Kano north senatorial district.”
The report also listed the following cases of violence:
- Cases of killing were reported in Ahoada west local government area of Rivers; Ndoni, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni lga, Rivers;
- Abduction of a youth corper in Etinan ward in Akwa Ibom state;
- Violent clash between party agents and INEC officials in Achida, Wurno ward, Sokoto, polling unit 003;
- In Oyo state, there were reported cases of voter intimidation in Ogbomosho south local government area of the State where armed touts in ward 4 polling units 5, 6, and 7 were forcing voters to show their ballot papers after voting – an action that discouraged several voters from voting.
- In Imo state, there was open ballot stuffing at polling unit 010A and 010B at Mbutu ward, Aboh Mbaise local government area of Imo state. It is the polling unit of Emeka Ihedioha, the former deputy speaker of the house of representatives and governorship candidate of PDP in Saturday’s election.
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