Okei-Odumakin (centre), fielding questions from journalists in Yenagoa. Photo by Okafor Ofiebor

Okafor Ofiebor/Toru-Orua,Sagbama

A human rights activist, Mrs.Joe Okei-Odumakin of Women Arise Initiative, while giving her assessments as one of the observers who monitored the election Bayelsa State governorship election, said the government really has to do a comprehensive review of the use of card readers in future elections because of the complaints about delays in accrediting voters and some cases of outright failure.

She made the observation in a chat with journalists in Toru-Orua, Governor Dickson’s community in Sagbama Local Government area of Bayelsa.

She argued: “We need to sanitize the process. We recognize that the use of card reader is to check multiple voting. Efforts should be made to ensure that the card readers work because it takes a lot of time. We must make sure that it works in line with other countries where the card reader is used and it has been effective.”

In the long term, she said the use of card reader should be backed up with a legislation to strengthen its use.

On the governorship election, Mrs Okei-Odumakin said that there were serious concerns over reports of movement of arms and ammunition into the state for the elections.

She said however that from the tour of the numerous units, “We found out that about an average of seven security men are found in each polling unit. She said there was adequate security.

The human rights activists acknowledged there were reports of violence in some parts of the state.

She cautioned politicians to always play by the rules and allow people to freely exercise their franchise without killing people they claim they want to lead.