Electronic Transmission: Aziegbemi seeking relevance – Sen Alimikhena

 

The lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Francis Alimikhena, has said he would not be distracted from his legislative duties by critics, including the factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Mr. Tony Aziegbemi.

Alimikhena was reacting to publication in a national newspaper, on Saturday, credited to Aziegbemi, which challenged his decision on electronic transmission of results.

The lawmaker said: “I wasn’t surprised to see the reckless and unguarded utterances of the Edo State factional chairman of PDP in the newspapers where he spoke ignorantly on the issue of electronic voting and transmission of results.

 

“Aziegbemi should quickly learn how to focus on rebuilding his party that’s in disarray, which led to his recent suspension, rather than getting himself entangled in another party’s activities, in his quest to seek unnecessary political attention.”

On why he voted against electronic transmission of results, the senator said: “We are all believers and supporters of electronic voting, but necessary foundation must be laid in order to ensure seamless transmission of results without human interference like the PDP is propagating.

 “The INEC card readers that are currently in use in our electioneering process are characterised with human deficiency, machine failures and others that have not been able to function maximally in achieving the needed expectations yet, few individuals expected us to proceed in building new structures on faulty foundations.

“The same factors that have hindered card readers from maximum performance are also capable of frustrating any other new voting pattern if not thoughtfully considered. Electronic transmission of results wouldn’t have amounted to automatic victory for any individual or group of individuals.”