BY OBUTE JAMES
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Port and Harbour, Hon. Mohammed Garba Datti has said he is happy that Kaduna State is the first state to use electronic voting system in Nigeria.
Hon. Datti who represnts Sabon Gari Feederal Constituency of Kaduna State, made this known in an interview shortly after casting his vote at Dogon Bauchi Polling Unit in Sabon Gari Local Government Area.
“As you can see this is electronic voting. The ballot papers are there for everyone to see.
“I’m happy Kaduna State is the first state to use electronic voting machines in the country. I think this is worthy of emulation.”
Asked why the lawmakers rejected the electronic voting system in the recent amendment to Electoral Act by by the Senate and House of Representatives, Datti said the area under consideration in the Act is electronic transmission of result which can be marred by the activities of hackers.
According to him, time will come when the electronic transmission of resuls will be made possible depending on how the nation advances technologically.
On security situation, he said so far, the election has been peaceful and conducted in orderly manner.
The THE LEGISLATURE (www.thelegislatureng.com) observed that the local government election in Kaduna State is being conducted with the use of electronic voting machines. The accreditation was however done manually while each voter inserts his/her voter’s card for voting. The logo of all the political parties participating in the election are being displayed in the voting machine. Once the voter presses the party of his choice on the mavhine, the machine automatically prints out the ballot paper on its tray.
The Kaduna State Electoral Commission due to security report had earlier announced the suspension of the local government election in four local government councils. These include Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Kajuru and Zango Kataf LGAs.