Atiku insists on card reader, decries use of incident forms

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must use smart card readers and do away with incident forms in the conduct of the February 16 and March 2 general elections.

Atiku in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Paul Ibe, said yesterday that contrary to the promise made at different times that it would not use the “controversial” incident forms, INEC had allegedly backtracked and decided to allow the use of the “unreliable” incident forms.

“This is unacceptable to the Peoples Democratic Party and Atiku Abubakar,” the statement said.

“Any decision to use incident forms in the February 16, 2019 elections is an attempt to toe the line of President Muhammadu Buhari, who thrice refused to sign the amended Electoral Act, for fear of the use of card readers, which would prevent rigging by desperate power mongers.