South-East will resist card reader in 2023 – Gov Umahi

The governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, yesterday said the compulsory use of card reader by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would be resisted in the 2023 general elections in the South-East geo-political zone.

Umahi spoke at the old government house, Abakaliki, while receiving the newly posted Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to the state, Dr Chukwuemeka Joseph.

“Let me raise a very serious observation as the Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum. I think INEC is generally very hard to South-East people during elections especially our brothers and I don’t think we will allow that to continue. The Supreme Court has said that card reader cannot be the basis for authentication of those that registered.

“But it’s only in the South East that our brothers would be insisting that it must be and when we go to court, the court will set aside that procedure.

“And manual accreditation remains the basis for election and your guideline doesn’t supersede the constitution.

“So, we welcome you by letting you know that unless the electoral law is changed, that will be resisted in the South-East because it doesn’t happen in any other place.

“We want to be treated like others in other regions of the country.

“Another thing you people must change is the style that you make yourself incommunicado,” he explained.

Earlier, the newly INEC REC said he resumed late due to the just concluded by-elections in other states.