NASS must stop INEC from manipulating card reader - Wike

The Rivers State Gover­nor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has appealed to the National Assembly to ensure that amendment of the Electoral Act is not abused by the Independent National Electoral Com­mission (INEC) through the card reader.

Speaking at the 60th birthday celebration of Sena­tor George Sekibo and the public presentation of six books written by the fed­eral lawmaker on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike lauded the National Assembly for amending the Electoral Act, but stressed that unless measures are taken to protect the electoral process, the electoral umpire may use the present situa­tion to rig in favour of the ruling party.

He said: “The National Assembly should take the amendment of the Electoral Act a step further by en­suring that only votes that emanate from the card reader count.

“Other than that, the elec­toral umpire may manipulate the system to favour the rul­ing party. We know what they are capable of doing and this should be addressed.”

On the birthday cel­ebration, Governor Wike described the Senator rep­resenting Rivers-East Senato­rial District, Senator George Thompson Sekibo as a de­pendable politician who places the interest of the state above all other consider­ations.

He noted that Senator Sekibo plays his politics with sincerity of purpose.

The governor said: “One important thing is that Sena­tor Sekibo is a reliable and dependable politician. He is a loyal party man who never gives conditions for the con­cessions he makes for the party “

In his remarks, Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa said that Senator Sek­ibo is a repository of legisla­tive knowledge.

The Chairman of the oc­casion and Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwer­emadu, noted that Senator Sekibo is one of the serious minds in the Senate.

Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and representative of Senate President Bukola Saraki, Sen­ator Ahmed Lawan praised the Senator Representing Rivers-East Senatorial Dis­trict as one of the voices that help guide debates in the Sen­ate.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, represented by Mr. Jones Onyereri, said that the House felicitates with Senator Sekibo on his birth­day. - The Authority