Tinubu canvasses use of biometric voting system



National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said Nigeria has no reason to be different in the use of biometrics system of voting when countries like Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cameroun and others were already utilizing the system. Tinubu stated this in Benin City, Edo State on Thursday while making a brief remark at the Symposium on Deepening Democracy and Enhancing the Public Welfare, held in commemoration of the 60th birthday of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The former Lagos State governor wondered why in the 21st century, Nigerians still suffer under an inferior manual registration, verification and accreditation of voters when there is the option of full biometric system. He pointed out that many nations now use the biometric system to ensure one man, one vote and eliminate multiple voting. “In our situation, the struggle for one man, one vote is not yet over. “Although people who love justice and progress seek to usher Nigeria into the light of 21st century democratic practice, other bleak and shadowy forces seek to push our nation so far back into the 20th century that it falls into the crude electoral practices of the 19th. “Already, the election wizards and riggers have written their portion of the book. Now, it is time that we erase their misconduct and fill the empty pages with fairness, openness, democracy and the people’s will,” he stated. Tinubu advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to again do the registration data, if the one done before the last general elections did not meet the minimum quality threshold. “We must insist that subsequent elections are free and fair. “The people of Edo have seen the light. They are ready to protect their votes and to reject the erstwhile PDP government that served them a salad of corruption and rickety governance for years. The people are now witnessing rapid development because they voted for change. “This is manifest in the developments across Edo state, the provision of water, modern transportation, judicial reforms and other people-oriented policies.” If I personally have any complaint against Comrade Oshiomhole, it is that he has allowed me only one ride on one of the new air conditioned buses,” he added. Daily Independent