PDP drags INEC to court over card reader

Nigeria’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the use of card readers for the 2019 general election.

The party asked a federal high court in Abuja the court to restrict INEC from postponing elections in any polling unit as a result of a malfunctioning card reader.

According to the electoral body, should there be any case of card reader malfunctions, voting will be suspended till a new card reader arrives or postponed till the next day if a replacement is not available by 2 pm.

The country’s presidential and National Assembly poll is scheduled for February 16.

In the suit, the party argued that INEC’s insistence — in its regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the elections — that a voter’s identity must be confirmed by the card reader is inconsistent with provisions of the electoral act.

Details later.