Buhari not against card reader – Omo Agege

Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not against having the Card Readers embedded in law.

Omo-Agege made the remark on Saturday while speaking with newsmen in Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta.

The senator who represents Delta Central at the National Assembly said lawmakers would addressed the card readers issue in the 9th Assembly.

“The challenge the president had at that time was the ECOWAS Protocol, it came very late.

“You cannot make fundamental change in your electoral law six months to the election, otherwise Mr president was not against the spirit of the letters in that amendment,” he said.

Omo-Agege who just won his returned ticket to the senate alleged electoral malpractices in the Saturday’s Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Delta.

According to him, there are feelers of ballot box and results sheet snatching in Bomadi, Patani, Warri South-West and some parts Udu LGA.

He, however, expressed hope that relevant authorities would do justice on that.

“It will be difficult to give a comprehensive evaluation of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Delta.

“The information I am getting from other LGAs is not very good. It is all about ballot box and results sheet snatching.

”I do not think that it is good for our democracy.

“I expect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do the right thing at the collation level.

“INEC made it clear that Card Readers must be used in every polling units not withstanding that the court says card reader is not part of the law.

“Since INEC insist Card Readers must be used, it will be unfair for some to use it and others not to use it.I am hopeful that Great Ogboru will win and some APC candidates in the state House of Assembly,” he said.

The senator commended security agencies for doing a good job noting that the election was purely a grassroots thing.

Meanwhile, collation of results are still ongoing in most polling units in Warri South and some other parts of the state.