Election Update: Uproar As Card Readers Fail in Lagos

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Nigeria 2015 Election Saturday, March 28th, 2015

Ayo Balogun, Lagos – There is uproar in many parts of Lagos over non-functional of INEC’s card readers in the metropolis.

As at 1pm, when voting commenced in some parts of the state, accreditation has not started in some parts as the card readers brought in by INEC were not working.

In Kosofe, it was gathered that card readers in almost every ward in the area were not working.

Mr Adeniyi Ojebisi, a resident in Kosofe said people were stranded because many card readers in the area, especially Ifako were not working as at past 12 noon.

In ward 3, Ikeja, some of the NYSC Adhoc officers apear helpless as the card reader machines have refused to work. The same goes for polling unit 008 in Alausa.

In Amuwo Odofin, there have been reports that the card readers were not functional in some parts of the area.

APC National leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu did his accreditation in Alsausa where he lamented the non-functional of some card readers, saying it was a ploy by PDP to rig the election.

In Surulere, governor, Babatunde Fashola did his reditation at the Itolo centre in company of his wife and son at 10:30am. He also had slight difficulties with the fingerprints. Only the right fingerprint was recognised. While the card reader accepted the left fingerprint of the First Lady, Abimbola Fashola, the other failed. It was more seamless for their son, Ademola Fashola, as both fingerprints were recognised.

Fashola after the accreditation said: “‎I think from my experience, things are heading in the right direction. People are orderly. I’ve been here for about 16 minutes, it took me about two minutes to do my accreditation. Right thumb failed, left thumb passed. I think we should patient with the process,” he said.

However, voting has begun in some part of the metropolis. At Itoto, voting started around 1pm. Fashola was still in the long queue as at 2pm waiting to vote.