By Gbenga Ariyibi

ADO EKITI—The  Independent National Electoral Commission,  INEC, in Ekiti State has cleared all candidates whose names were forwarded to it by their various political parties to contest the March and April general elections.

The electoral body, however, said the court has the right to disqualify or do otherwise candidates who have petitions against them,  according to the Ekiti Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Sam Olumekun.

Speaking at a news conference in Ado-Ekiti, Olumekun said the Commission was prepared to conduct free, fair and credible election in the state, adding that it has mapped out strategies to test-run Smart Card Readers to be deployed for the polls.

On the test running of Card Readers before the conduct of 2015 elections, the INEC boss said it was meant to erase doubts about the new innovation.
He added that his commission was not envisaging failure in the performance of the machines to be deployed.

“We have resolved as a body to use Smart Card Readers for the 2015 general elections to verify and authenticate the Permanent Voters Card presented by a voter.

However, arising from some misgivings from certain sections and stakeholders about the use of  the Smart Card Readers for voter authentication, the Commission decided that the card be put to test under real settings to determine its efficacy or otherwise,” he said.

Olumekun said the field test had been scheduled to hold nationwide on Saturday, March 7, 2015 and would be conducted in one Registration Area only in 12 selected states of the federation, including Ekiti State.