PORT HARCOURT- Voters who participated in Saturday’s mock test of the card reader machines in Port Harcourt, Rivers had expressed delight that the machines functioned well.
They spoke in separate interviews with newsmen at Ward 1, Port Harcourt, where personnel deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), used the card reader machines to verify voters.
Mrs. Hanchikaru Nyeche, who was accredited at Unit 14, located at Ezimgbu, Chinda Hall 1, said the card readers functioned well, adding that it took her less than one minute to verify her name.
“I just went in and I did my verification within a minute,’’ she said.
Mr. Godwin Michael, who also did his accreditation at the same Unit 14, said the system was fast, compared to the previous method.
“The system is okay, if INEC wants to use it for the election. I believe it will help to eliminate fraud in the system,’’ he said.
Chief Chucks Adinusa, who did his verification and accreditation at Unit 23, said the exercise was smooth and recommended it for use during the forthcoming polls.
Adinusa, who said he was at the centre as early as 7 a.m. and INEC officers came to the units before 8 a.m., said that the exercise commenced on time.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Arum Chika, INEC Presiding Officer at Unit 14 said the exercise went on well, although she observed low turnout of electorate at her unit.
Chika also commended the early turnout, adding that as at 10 a.m. when he visited the centre, 17 people had been verified successfully.
“The card readers functioned well, but there were some people the card readers could not capture their finger.
“What we did was to give them incidence form to fill,’’ Chika said.