Voters who are unable to cast their ballot because of technical problems in Nigeria’s general election returned to the polls today, Sunday, as the both parties ( APC & PDP ) traded words over the use of the technology.
The country’s electoral commission said some 300 of the 150,000 polling stations would be open from 07:00 GMT to accredit voters after handheld devices to read biometric identity cards failed.
Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called the situation a “huge national embarrassment” after President Goodluck Jonathan was affected by the malfunction as he tried to register on Saturday.
The ruling party said repeatedly throughout the campaign that the technology should not be used as it was untested and there were questions about officials’ ability to use it.
The main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) backed the new system as a way of curbing widespread vote-rigging that has hit previous elections.
With the election closely fought, both parties looked set to keep the issue alive. Voters will be accredited throughout the morning either with the devices or if they fail again, by hand.
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, sought to downplay the malfunctions, saying it was limited to “only about 450″ card readers.
According to our correspondent , Jega has to make that provision for a second day of voting was granted because it was a democratic right for citizens.
“It (the technical problems and extension) will not affect returns on (the) presidential election,” he said.
On Saturday, many voters camped overnight or arrived early at polling stations to have their credentials checked before returning to vote in the afternoon and long into the night.
The final voters cast their ballot in the dark and the count was started at many polling stations by flashlight, with Nigeria hit by regular, daily power cuts.
The Afrika Market monitoring team were out in all the states of Nigeria , collating reports and facts finding on factors and glitches of the card readers, according to saint Olawale Jericho Bureau chief coordinator , Lagos state , ” except for a number of glitches with accreditation card readers, peaceful ,market stalls closed and boys playing ball on the main street .
As the Afrika Market has updated earlier yesterday , that the opposition party is leading in pre-teens , we can categorically confirm the results but will keep abreast as INEC will commence the release of the results anytime today
Nigerians remain united , resolute and unperturbed by the insurgence of boko haram but paged the odds and collectively came out in their millions to cast their votes.
accreditation is going on in all the affected areas while theres is free movement today .
FRENCH VERSION
