The Peoples Democratic Party has asked the Federal High Court for an order that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot postpone election at a polling unit because of unavailable or malfunctioning smart card readers.

The party filed the suit dated January 11 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

It is challenging the stipulation in the INEC guidelines that polling would be postponed until card readers are available to authenticate the identity of the voters at the polling unit.

According to the guidelines, if the gadgets are not available before 2 p.m on election day, the exercise at the unit would be shifted to the following day. According to a copy of the suit sent by the party to PREMIUM TIMES, the PDP, through their lawyer, Kalu Kalu, is of the view that the sections of the INEC guidelines prescribing the use of the card readers negate section 49 of the Electoral Act.

The applicants have also asked the court to treat the matter with urgency, describing it as a pre-election matter which should be settled before February 16. The presidential and National Assembly elections are holding on that day.

Source: Premium Times