Card Reader malfunction delays accreditation, voting in Abaji

Card reader malfunction delayed accreditation and voting at some polling units visited at the Abaji Area Council on Saturday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

At the Naharati Sabo Unit II, the same problem accounted for the late commencement of the exercise.

The presiding officer, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the card reader had been taken to INEC office in the area for repairs.

“The presiding officer took the card reader to INEC office but when he brought it back, it was still not functioning properly.

“So, they are still working on it to see that it works,” she said.

The case at Angwar Malama Suru Polling Unit and Abaji East Primary School at polling unit 003A was not different.

Many of the voters who spoke with NAN, urged INEC to rectify the problem on time, to ensure smooth conduct of the election.

Mr Cephas Apata, the Supervisory Presiding Officer at the unit, who acknowledged the problem, reassured voters that everything was being done to ensure that voters performed their civic duty.

Apata told NAN that he had contacted INEC Area Office and that a technical consultant was on his way to repair the machine.

However, accreditation and voting commenced at the main polling unit 003 at 8.43 a.m. while the exercise commenced 8.45 a.m. at Ungwar Anyura polling station.

NAN also reports that there were few cases where card readers rejected fingerprints and those affected were made to fill the Incidence Form.

The election of area council officials, earlier scheduled for March 19 and later rescheduled to April 9, is holding in the six FCT area councils of Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kwali and Kuje.

Those elected will oversee the affairs of the respective areas councils for the next three years.