Some protesting youths under the aegis of Middle Belt Con­cerned Youths (MBCY), shut down the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja yesterday, March 11, 2015.
The youths, who were protesting against the use of card readers for the forthcoming general elections, barricad­ed the entrance road to the commission, preventing staff and visitors from gaining access to the INEC building and also compelling other users of the road to seek alternative routes, The Sun reports.
They were holding placards demanding, among other things, the immediate resignation or sack of INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, over his insistence on the use of card readers for the general elec­tions.
Displaying placards with inscriptions such as “Jega, why the underage registration of voters in northern Nigeria? Jega, resign now, it seems you are not getting it right, Jega is test-running the future of Nigerians with the elec­tion, Voting is our legitimate right and we must vote,” the protesters stood face to face with a detachment of security agents who denied them fur­ther advance.”

Chanting ‘we are Nige­rians’, among other protest songs, the youths rebuffed attempts by the security de­partment of INEC to address them, insisting that they would only speak with Jega himself.

Yunusa Yusuf, President of the group, who addressed journalists, de­scribed the card readers as a monumental fraud, stressing: “We are (here) today to reg­ister our dissatisfaction over the failure of the PVC card reader machine.”
According to him, it has been proven that the batteries of the Card Readers do not function for more than three hours. “The question therefore is, what happens if the battery fails during the election proper, especially in the rural areas?” he queried.
He further alleged that the APC and INEC plan to rig the forthcoming elections, saying that the claims of APC supporters in Kano and Lagos states that the machines are working are mere cover-up.

The youth leader further said: “In as much as we appreciate the steadfastness and enormous innovations introduced by INEC to bequeath free and fair elections to the nation, it is still the contention of majority of Nigerians that such efforts must not be sacrificed on the altar of a fool-hardy insistence of proceeding with the use of PVCs, despite the glaring imperfections inherent in them. Insisting on using them for the elections will only end up disenfranchising a huge segment of Nigeria’s voting population.”
The youths were prevented from gaining access into the building by armed policemen and other security agents, who cordoned off the INEC office.

However, their protest letter was received by an Assistant Director Security, Victor Egbo, with a promise to deliver same to the commission chairman.
INEC’s plan to make use of card readers in the upcoming elections has been generating a lot of steam as some are not in support of it, especially the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
The opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) had alleged that the objection to card readers by the PDP is a ploy by the party to either prevent the polls from holding or to rig it. - See more at: http://naijatatafoblog..com/2015/03/latest-on-card-card-readers-issue.html

Seriously this guy needs to be sacked, INEC was no where near in terms of preparation, but he came out nd openly said the election should go ON...millions were yET to get their PVC Nd he said all d Pvcs have been given to the states whereas some PVCs just arrived at some local government this week....

Acting the script of their paymasters..


How can any sane man protest against the use of card readers let alone group of men? Are the card readers not to ensure free, fair and credible elections?

Some hungry PDP youths.

Lol.

What gimmick will PDP and the presidency not use to subvert this election like this?

Youths again? These are the so called leaders of tomorrow o. Why won't things be worse when you have youths who have no reasoning and passion to do what is right? When they become leaders what other way besides the way of the jungle will they use to lead? Youths that are supposed to protest and insist that the rule of law and the right thing be done to secure their futures are the ones that will collect money and be used as pawns to disrupt the politics of the country. Youths that are supposed to tell PDP that the billions dedicated to procuring these card readers and the right equipment should not go to waste. Youths that are supposed to fight to ensure that the political class do not truncate the bright prospects the future holds for them. Youths that are supposed to use their youthfulness and creativity to be innovative and fashion out modern strategies and inventions that will benefit our aged and future generations of Nigerians...they have been turned into mere touts and hooligans that are protesting against the independent body for electoral issues...because they have been paid Naira - Naira that has been devalued before their very eyes. Naira that cannot make you joyful.

Unfortunately, those of us who consider ourselves too decent to get into the dirt and darkness of politics will sit down in our offices and continue to mind our businesses and live simple lives or lives that are dictated by the harsh economic conditions imposed on us by the erroneous and wasteful choices of our leaders now who were once unruly youths. Then one day we will realise that these same youths who are ready tools for those in our corrupt political class are suddenly our new leaders all because we sat down and minded our business and didnt have the mind and pep to stand up and go and insist on doing things the right way, the right time and for the right reasons.

It is well. May the good Lord help us.

Maccoy1:
Seriously this guy needs to be sacked, INEC was no where near in terms of preparation, but he came out nd openly said the election should go ON...millions were yET to get their PVC Nd he said all d Pvcs have been given to the states whereas some PVCs just arrived at some local government this week....

That is not the issue now..why are u pple afraid of card-readers? WHY?

which kind dirty youths be that?

paid agents of PDP

only election riggers will be afraid of card reader....
if Ghana can use it without noise, why are we afraid of TRANSFORMATION on improved electoral processes