The United Progressive Party (UPP) has urged INEC to adopt the electronic voting system for more credible elections.
This is contained in a statement signed by the party’s National Chairman, Mr Chekwas Okorie yesterday in Abuja and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to the statement, the electronic voting system eliminates the use of ballot boxes and ballot papers, in addition to saving cost, reducing violence and the stuffing of boxes with ballot papers.
It said that queuing at polling stations for a long time which scared decent and security conscious persons from participating would also be eliminated.
It said that with the electronic voting system, the excessive deployment of security operatives with its attendant abuses would be greatly reduced.
“The declaration of public holidays on election days with heavy opportunity cost to the economy of the nation will be stopped.
“ Every registered voter shall have the opportunity to vote for candidates wherever he may be located in the country with his mobile phones.
“The few registered voters who do not possess mobile phones or are unable to use it for the purpose of voting may go to polling stations to vote electronically by thumb-printing on the laptops which are already available to INEC,’’ the statement said.
The statement said that the system would guarantee between 80 per cent and 90 per cent participation by the electorate and reliable results of elections shall emerge without delay.
It said that countless electronic petitions and other litigations associated with elections in the country would be greatly reduced. (NAN)
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