BY GBENGA OLARINOYE, OSOGBO
The All Progressives Congress in Osun State has declared that it will be ten steps backwards and absolutely regrettable if INEC succumbs to the scheming to stop the Commission from using the card reader in the second round of the general election, scheduled for this Saturday.

According to the party, “the card reader (in spite of‎ some hitches experienced during the presidential election), was significantly responsible for the near elimination of rigging attempts, and the enhancement of credibility of the election management by INEC, which was generally seen to be fair and transparent”.

The statement by the party’s Director of Research and Publicity, Mr Kunle Oyatomi read in part: “INEC can therefore not trade off this significant milestone in its efforts to sanitise the electoral process which allowed spoilers a breathing space to cynically enjoy their crooked pastime of vote rigging.

“This will not only damage the hard-earned esteem INEC has had since the March 28 presidential election, it will also disappoint Nigerians and the international community and endanger our democracy that has just emerged from the doldrums of its stagnated past”.

The party contended that whatever the difficulties experienced during the presidential election with application of the card reader, experienced gained from its use leaves us better off for the electoral process and the credibility of the exercise, than without the card reader.

“Those who are now agitating that INEC should discontinue the use of the card reader are the losers at the last election, who want to recoup their losses, and gain from a fraudulent manipulation of the voting process which they have used in the last 16 years to stay in power”, the APC said.

“We vehemently oppose the idea being suggested by some interested parties that INEC should not use the card reader for the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections . it will be defeatist for INEC, retrogressive for our‎ emergent democracy and absolutely harmful to the credible electoral process which INEC is building”.

“Nigerian should not accept the idea either, for if they do, they will be shooting themselves in the head, which will tantamount collective suicide”, the party added.