Dr Othman Abdulrahaman Ajidagba, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Nasarawa State, has said that those buying voters cards with the aim to clone the cards and to hack into the website of the commission are only wasting their time.
He explained that the information and Technology department of the commission and the voters’ cards are upgraded to the standard that no one would be able to hack into INEC website or clone/tamper with the cards order than to damage it or to deny the electorates participating in the election.
Dr. Ajidagba stated this while playing host to the All Progressives Grant Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Mr. Labaran Maku at the state INEC headquarters in lafia yesterday.
He decried the situation noting that politicians buying votes from voters in rural areas with stipends are only wasting their time and effort, describing it as exploitation on the poor masses who are doing so to their detriment.
The REC who was disturbed with the trends of Votes buying by politicians said the Commission in the state was going to decentralise the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) towards level in order to ensure every electorate gets their cards before the election.
He said, about three hundred and twenty-three thousand, nine hundred and five voters cards are yet to be collected.
He said, there was no need to keep PVCs while the election is fast approaching, saying that the production of the PVCs was done with taxpayer money that must not be neglected.
He said, until politicians see political activities as a stepping stone to serve the people, “we will continue to have the problem of governance in the country, where everyone would want to manipulate his way to the top.
He called on actors in the field of politics to sensitise it voters and supporters to get their voters cards and to know how to cast their votes without default, saying no one should be carried away with the crowds or fellowship and assume that, he has won the election already.
He also called on the political actors to always play the games according to the rules devoid of rancour and use of thugs, adding that, there is no justification recruiting youths into thuggery who will, in the end, disrupt the electoral processes.
Dr Ajidagba pledged its commitment to deliver on its mandate of the people, and to conduct the most credible election in the country better than the previous exercises, urging all stakeholders in the electoral process to perform their duty during the election with the fear of God without which, there would be a failure, he added.
Earlier, Mr Labaran Maku said the electoral process should be the greatest anti-corruption war Nigeria must win, explaining that, if the country must win the fight against corruption, it must, and should not tamper with the electoral process that would produce new leaders at all levels of governance.
According to Maku, Nigerians are yearning for good governance, where the institutions can guarantee the future of those coming behind is secured.
He noted that the country’s problem is the poor management of election from 1964 to date, and for Nigeria to get it right, the president must keep to his words of conducting a free, fair and credible election so that Nigeria can move forward.
