Aregbesola Commends INEC For Successful Introduction Of Card Reader

*Says Nigeria must get it right for Africa to get it right

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Saturday commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful use of the card reader for the 2015general election.

The governor made this remark after casting his vote at the Ifofin Ward 8 in Ilesha East Local Government of Osun.

Aregbesola in company with his wife and mother around 2pm noted that the card reader device has advanced the voting experience of Nigerians, which has drastically reduced possible manipulation of electoral process.

According to the governor, the ongoing 2015 general election in the state is far better than what was witnessed in the August 9 governorship election in the state in 2014.

He commended the security arrangement, which he described as being civil in contrast with what the people of the state experience in the last August poll in the state, where security agents were used to harass and intimidate voters.

Aregbesola recalled that the people of the state will not forget in a hurry the siege laid on the state by the deployment of large number of security agents reminiscent of a state of war.

He noted that despite the initial pocket of hiccups in the use of the innovative electronic device, subsequent elections would be better held.

“We must give it to those who introduced the use of card readers in this election because the introduction has improved the processes in terms of efficiency and credibility of the voting exercise.

“In spite of the little complaints reported in few locations, we still must give it to INEC for the success so far recorded being the first test the card reader is undergoing.

“In terms of security, the situation in Osun now is different from what happened in the August 9 governorship election where hooded men, terrorists and other fake security agents were deployed to intimidate the people, though the people refused to be intimidated.

“In this election, the security men had learnt to be decorous in their conduct. The exude dignity that should be in the security operations,” Aregbesola said.