Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, has explained why he’s being attacked over the use of the Smart Card Reader machines for the conduct of the general election.

Jega stated this on Wednesday, March 25, while unveiling the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja.

The INEC Chairman said that those who had plans to fraudulently manipulate the outcome of the elections, are the ones averse to the introduction of the technology.

He said: “Let me use this opportunity to reassure Nigerians that we believe that we have done everything possible to ensure that the 2015 general election is successful. We are adequately prepared in terms of both logistics and manpower. Likewise, all the security agencies, especially the police which have a lead role to play in terms of providing security during elections, have assured us that they are ready.”

“This is indeed why they have been attacking me because they know that the card reader machines will help us to address all those irregularities, starting from the accreditation of voters at all the polling units.”

“How can they manipulate the election when all the information with regards to the number of voters that turned out at every polling unit is automatically captured and transmitted by the card reader machines?”

“We have made rigging impossible for them as there is no how the total number of votes cast at the polling unit could exceed the number of accredited persons. Such discrepancy in figures will be immediately spotted. This technology will further make it impossible for any corrupt electoral officer to connive with any politician to pad-up results.”