The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in Bayelsa State says it has lost sixty three smart card readers used in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly election conducted on the 23th of February 2019.
The state resident electoral commissioner Pastor Monday Udom made the disclosure at a stakeholders meeting with political parties, security chiefs and civil society groups in the state.
Monday Udom, said the areas that the smart card readers were hijacked and carted away were due to security challenges faced by INEC personnel.
He added that INEC will not hold any elections in those areas and units affected by the missing smart cards readers.
Pastor Monday Udom, further called on political party leaders and candidates of the State House of Assembly elections to conduct themselves civil before, during and after the election in the state.
On his part the Chairman of Civil Liberty Organization in the state Alabo Nengi James appealed to the commission to grant amnesty to anyone in possession of the smart card readers if it is returned.
Correspondent Daniel Ebikienmo Solomon reports that the missing smart card readers were reported in some units in Brass , Nembe , Sagbama , Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa.
