PDP’s Campaign Group Want Prof Jega’s Resignation
The PDP Integrity Vanguard, one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign group has called for the immediate resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega.
The group released a statement via its leaders, Senator Anietie Okon and Chief Sergeant Chidi Awuse, on Thursday, saying, “We cannot allow Attahiru Jega plunge the nation into constitutional crisis capable of consuming the entire nation. The card reader is intended to merely confer unearned credibility on an election that is flawed ab nicio.
“We therefore call on Jega to immediately disqualify himself, eat the humble pie and resign honourably and INEC to immediately jettison the card reader and revert to the careful use of voter register, as was the case in 2011.
“We have serially cited the poor handling of the PVC distribution, lack of coherent, lucid and transparent approach to the issue of smart card reader, the compromise and exposure to continue compromise of sensitive INEC electronic warehouse facilities including but not limited to its database and software as well as what appears to be INEC’s determination to confer undue advantage to the All Progressive Congress (APC) and or foist on Nigerians predetermined election results.
“Particularly worrisome is the refusal by INEC and its chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, to yield to common sense and reason, and to recognize the glaring pitfalls inherent in the card reading machine as well as the consequent confusion that is inevitably occasioned at the polling units arising either from the malfunctions of the device or deliberate mishandling of same. INEC not withstanding continue to be intelligent by half in its obstinacy to go ahead with the deployment of card reader.”
“We urge INEC to explain how the so called Voter identification Number (VIN), which is supposed to be top security feature of the card is duplicated in across board with conflicting biometrics attached! Is this what the card reader is going to be dealing with?
“How is it that millions of people are still carrying the temporary voters card from pillar to post even when INEC staff has told them that some unknown persons have collected them using fake biometrics (thumbprint)? Can INEC explain till date, people still collect PVCs by proxy ? Is that the system that is supposed to give us a credible election?
“We hold strongly that National Assembly erred in judgment when it endorsed the deployment of card readers for an election that we all know is a make-or-break outing? How can a technology that could not be piloted Ekiti and Osun because, according to INEC, those elections were too sensitive now be experimented in general election?
“Is INEC saying that those elections happen to be more sensitive and more critical to the survival of Nigeria as a corporate entity than Presidential and National elections? It is of critical importance that the National Assembly should set up a joint committee of both houses to carry out a 3-day forensic investigation into every department of INEC operations in the full glare of both the media and civil society.
“As we were made to understand INEC tested its card readers in only 225 polling units across 12 states. This is out of 180,000 poling unit across the country and represents 0.1%. How can this be an acceptable statistical sample? It is an unconscionable as it is unacceptable that Jega and his INEC can risk the fracturing of this country irreversibly in pursuit of a goal that is clearly unattainable within the corporate entity we now know as our country Nigeria.
“The Committee should further determine the vulnerability or otherwise of INEC’s database who developed the software INEC has deploy and the term of agreement among other things.
“We have it on good authority that as at today INEC has procured less than 1000 card readers (less than 300 as at February 14 when it should have held Presidential election). This explains our untiring and unswerving demand that Attahiru Jega should come clean on his busted conspiracy to declare the APC winner of the now postponed February 14 elections. This has further vindicated our position that Attahiru Jega was not prepared and was nowhere being ready as of February 14 and even now.”