Chairman of the commission, Dr Saratu Audu disclosed this at a one-day voter education workshop for stakeholders,
The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM) says it would use Electronic Voting Machines in the forth coming Local Government elections in the state.
Chairman of the commission, Dr Saratu Audu disclosed this at a one-day voter education workshop for stakeholders held on Thursday in Kaduna.
Audu said the commission had already acquired and tested the machines ahead of the elections.
She however said that the election would hold after passage of a bill on electronic voting currently before the State Assembly.
The official allayed fears that the electronic machines may fail during the polls or be manipulated, saying same machines were currently being used in Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Curacao and Haiti.
According to her, Mexico, Namibia, Philippines the United States of America and Venezuela were also using similar machines for similar elections.
She explained that the machines had capacity to retain power for 16 hours, while the commission had also provided a back up in addition to power generating sets to support the exercise.
Audu noted that the equipment uses processors, flash memory and other safe electronic components that guarantees security and vote integrity.
“The whole process is automated and customised in a manner that enhances fast counting of votes.”
Audu commended the Nasiru El-Rufai Government for providing the commission with the needed funds and support to prepare for the elections.
She pledged to conduct transparent, free and fair elections across the 23 local government areas of the state.
The chairman said the sensitisation would be extended to the local governments, where the voting machines would be displayed at all the 255 wards of the state.
She said the commission has commenced the recruitment of more than 25,000 adhoc staff for the exercise that would be conducted across 5,101 polling units in the state.
On his part the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Aminu Shagali said the The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission Bill 2017 had passed second reading.
Represented by Nuhu Shadalafiya, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Shagali said the assembly had fixed Sept. 19, for Public hearing on the bill, after which it would be passed into law.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders at the workshop included the State Deputy Governor, Mr Barnabas Bala- Bantex, political parties, heads of relevant security agencies,the media and officials of the National Orientation Agency.
By NAN.
Culled from Pulse NG.
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