9th March, 2015
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), has expressed its support for the use of Card Reader for accreditation of voters in the 2015 general elections.
This was contained in a statement signed Osita Okechukwu, CNPP National Publicity Secretary and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
The statement noted that the mock test of the Card Reader conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had further emboldened and reinforced its resolve to adopt the device.
It however urged INEC to take note of the ‘few lapses’ observed during the test and improve on the device to engender free, fair and transparent elections.
“We are making this declaration because in the absence of genuine reason, we adopt a device which has been used to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in many countries.”
The statement said that CNPP concurred with valid evidence that the use of the Card Reader for accreditation of voters would minimise if not eradicate snatching of ballot box.
It added that the device would also minimise thumb printing of ballot papers and snatching of result sheets.
“Accordingly, we take exception to political parties that are wittingly or unwittingly against the deployment of Magnetic Card Reader,” the statement said.