The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Delta, Dr Cyril Omorogbe has said that any vote cast without the use of the Smart Card Readers on Saturday’s election will be null, void and will not count.
Dr Omorogbe who said this during a meeting with stakeholders at the INEC headquarters in Asaba, advised against the use of voting without the use of the Smart Card Readers.
He said the card reader was to ensure free fair and credible elections, adding that he was not expecting anyone to sabotage the process.
He stated that scores would not be recorded where the Smart Card Readers are not used during the election, adding that the SCRs were deployed to make elections freer in the country.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner also warned that anyone caught involved in electoral malpractice will be arrested and prosecuted in line with relevant laws if the country.
While ensuring that the elections will be better than the previous ones, Dr Omorogbe charged the electorate to vote for the candidate of their choice during Saturday’s gubernatorial and state assembly elections.
Responding to questions raised by the stakeholders, particularly on the failure of the Card Readers in the last election, Dr Omorogbe said the Card Readers have been tested and are workings well, noting that there will be back up to enhance the process.
He said that the elections will be rescheduled to the next day in areas where the Card Readers failed to work so as to enable people to exercise their franchise.
According to him, “Anyone who does not use the smart card reader is considered as voting zero. Where the card readers the exercise will be repeated the following day. All our officials have been directed to comply with it.”
