INEC testruns Card Readers in 12 states

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will, on Saturday, conduct a field test of Card Readers in 12 states to verify their functionality, ahead of the general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11.
According to a statement signed by the Secretary, Ishiaku A Gali, the field testing will take place in two states in each of the nation’s six geo-political zones, pointing out that it will take place simultaneously.
He revealed that the selected states are Ekiti and Lagos for the South-West, Anambra and Ebonyi, South-East, Delta and Rivers for the South-South, Kano and Kebbi, Northwest, Bauchi and Taraba, NorthEast, Niger and Nasarawa for the NorthCentral.
The statement noted that the meeting between the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega and the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) earlier scheduled for today, has been postponed to enable them supervise test-running of the cards.
Gali charged the RECs with the responsibility of selecting registration area with full compliments of the PVCs and with appreciable distribution level of such Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) for undertaking the field test, to be thorough.
“They will also ensure that the register of voters in respect of all polling units in the selected registration areas is printed for the conduct of the exercise. They will carry out engagements with key stakeholders in the selected registration areas where the exercise would be conducted to ensure massive participation by registered voters
“The National Commissioners are to supervise the conduct of the exercise in their zones while the RECs not selected for the exercise should observe the conduct of the exercise in their zones in conjunction with the National Commissioners,” Gali noted.
Meanwhile, INEC has said it will take delivery of the remaining one million hitherto unprinted PVCs this week, adding that the cards will be deployed in the various collection points for onward distribution to the owners.
The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Kayode Robert Idowu, who disclosed this yesterday, however, noted that he could not confirm whether the commission will shift the March 8 deadline for the collection of PVCs.
“I can confirm to you that the remaining one million PVCs that were not printed before now are ready and will be delivered to the commission this week for onward distribution to the owners. However, I cannot confirm to you if there will be another postponement after the March 8 deadline for the collection of PVCs,” Idowu noted