The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has ordered a transfer of over 6,000 smart card readers from its Oyo state office to Ondo state for the smooth conduct of Oct. 10, governorship election in Ondo state.
This was made known by INEC’s National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja on Thursday.
Noting that the Ondo election was a stand alone election, he said, “As at today, we have given an order that all the smart card readers in Oyo state office should be moved to Ondo.”
While responding to questions on the destruction by fire of 5,141 smart cards readers in its Ondo office, He said it was sad that the commission lost the 5,141 smart cards readers in the inferno.
Okoye said the commission took the decision to move the smart card readers from other states to conduct the Ondo elections because of the long duration required to purchase a smart card.
According to him, the process of ordering one smart card reader takes at least six months, hence the decision to move smart card readers from other states. He, however, said the commission was also looking at a more secured way of storing its smart card readers to avert any further destruction of the cards given the expensive nature of the cards.
