MY FINGER WAS RECOGNISED AT 11TH TRY – GOV. ALIYU

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger has called for more public education on card reader and voter card before using them for elections . Aliyu made the call after casting his vote at the Musa Umar Ward Polling Unit in Minna on Saturday . He said the use of the two innovations had thrown up the
challenges encountered during Saturday ’ s election .

“ You can imagine a situation where the card reader fails to identify me and I even have to use my 10 fingers on the reader without success . It was at the eleventh try that my finger was recognised .
“ This is a delay that can be avoided. This card has my name, my picture and this is my polling unit. I have been recognised by even the INEC official but the process has
to be followed .
“ I think more needs to be done on this challenge before we go into another poll . This can be rectified at the April 11 elections ’’, he said . NAN reports that voting started in some wards at 2p . m . due to late accreditation . Low turnout of registered voters was noticed in some places at the end of accreditation . At Kofae Isa Gomina Polling Unit 05 , Barki Sale, only 85 out of 1, 716 people were accredited while 564 out of 1 ,278 were accredited at Dogon Kowa.
At Kofar Gidan Sarki Unit in new Bwari in Tafa Local Government Area, 359 out of 912 registered voters were accredited to vote , while at Bakin Kasuwa Primary School
2 in Bagama A of Suleja, 405 out the 683 were accredited to vote .
At Shiroro, voters resorted to jumping queue due to tiredness from long waiting .
Mr Akoniyin Oluwasegun, INEC ’ s Presiding Officer in Shiroro , said “ I need more support, even the police officers are tired. ”