Ekwuluobia (Anambra)- The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, Mr Edwin Nwatarali, said the introduction of card reader by INEC was to check electoral fraud in the forthcoming and subsequent elections in the country.
Nwatarali said this in Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra on Wednesday during his sensitisation tour of 21 local government areas of INEC offices in the state.
The REC expressed optimism that the tour would boost people’s interest in collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He said he was not happy that only 52 per cent of eligible voters had so far collected their PVCs where as in others states the percentage were high as 96 per cent.
According to him, the state ranks second to last on percentage of voters in states that have collected their PVCs for the forthcoming general elections.
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He urged the electorate in the state to show more enthusiasm in collecting their PVCS to make the election a huge success.
Commenting on card readers, by INEC, Nwatarali said the mechanism allayed the fear that voter cards would not count.
He said the card reader would detect the real owners of voter cards, adding that it would also ensure the authentic electorate with genuine voter cards.
Chief Okey Enekwe, a community leader in the area, said the tour was crucial to the realisation of free, fair and credible election in the state.
He urge the electorate to change their poor attitude toward the collection of their PVCs, to enable them to exercise their franchise during the general elections. (NAN)
