National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Mohammed Garba, said in Kaduna on Monday that the use of card reader by the Independent National Electoral Commission would enhance the credibility of the rescheduled March 28 and April 11 elections in the country.
While the All Progressives Congress supports the use electronic card reader, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and other stakeholders have called for the cancellation of the card in the forthcoming polls, noting that it will disenfranchise many Nigerians.
Garba, who is also the President of the Federation of African Journalists, at a one-day workshop on election reporting for journalists in Kaduna, said the card reader would eliminate rigging, which would lead to violence-free polls.
The workshop has as its theme, ‘Media Role in making the 2015 general elections violence-free’.
He commended the the Independent National Election Commission for the inclusion of the electronic card reader in the electoral process, noting that it would hinder rigging, which had over the years, characterised elections in the country.
He recalled that the massive rigging of the the 2011 elections led to the post-election violence, adding that with the card reader, it would be virtually impossible to rig.
Garba said, “We must commend the Independent National Electoral Commission for the reforms that we have seen in the electoral process. With the card readers, it will be virtually to witness election rigging which led to the 2011 election violence in part of the country,”
However, the NUJ boss urged the electoral body to rectify some of the lapses recorded by the electronic card readers during the ‘mock election’ so that Nigerians could exercise their voting rights in the Saturday poll.
Garba, who said the workshop was apt and timely, also frowned on what he described as ethical misconducts of media practitioners in the build up to the presidential election on Saturday.
Specifically, the NUJ boss berated the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission for allegedly aiding and abetting inciting advertorials in national dailies and on national televisions across the country. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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