LAGOS—The All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday in Lagos, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to make use of e-card readers during the forthcoming elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

INEC had said that it would not use the card readers for the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls, insisting that non-deployment of card readers would not affect the credibility of the elections.

The governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun are billed for June 21 and Aug. 9 respectively.

APC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the use of the e-card readers would show INEC’s commitment to free, fair and transparent polls.

The party stated that using the simple but foolproof device for the polls would make it possible for INEC to fine-tune its deployment programme nationwide for the 2015 general elections.

It stated that INEC must stop trying to justify why it could not use the e-card reader during the two governorship elections.

‘’Contrary to what INEC has said, the e-card reader was very adaptable and its application is not subject to any environmental peculiarity once the basics of operations are met,” the APC said.

According to the party, the most compelling reason for the use of e-card reader by INEC is that it would eliminate the rigging of elections through the use of stolen or purchased voter cards.

“E-card reader will also ensure that only those with authentic voter cards are allowed to cast their votes on election day. “Impersonation, multiple voting and endless altercations and associated tension will be eliminated at the voting centres,” the party said.