Bayelsa/Kogi State: INEC Warns No Accreditation, No Voting

The Independent National Electoral Commission has stated that no voter will be allowed to vote during the governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa States if their card is not recognised by the Smart Card Reader.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. James Apam, revealed this development during the one-day Training on Election Duties, organised by Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for its Staff at Kogi Sector Command Headquarters in Lokoja.

Mr Olugbenga Ajayi, who spoke on behalf of Apam, warned that nobody would be allowed to vote without being accredited using the card reader.

“We keep learning every day, and we want to obey what we have said as electoral umpire; if card reader cannot identify you, you cannot vote.”

“It is either card reader or no voting in Kogi and Bayelsa elections; anything apart from the use of card reader for accreditation and voting will be disqualified.”

“No manual accreditation would be allowed; it is either card reader or no voting,” he added.

He took the opportunity to warn all voters to conduct themselves well during the electoral process.

Ajayi charged other security personnel to adequately secure electoral staff and election materials, he noted that all attention is focused on the two states.

“We urged the security personnel to live by the oath they swore to and not chasing after politicians for money,” he said.