The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that the rescheduled general election in the country will be difficult to rig.

Benue State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Istifanus Defwang dropped this hint on Friday, when he paid a visit to the state governor, Mr Gabriel Suswam. He said the commission’s preparedness for the elections and the introduction of computerised card reading machines had less than one per cent failure rate.

The REC noted that officials of the commission would not condone any act of indiscipline from politicians but would follow laid down procedures that would ensure the success of the election.

He, therefore, cautioned politicians to steer clear of corruption, adding that in the four states he had superintended election, “it is opposition that won.”

According to Defwang, INEC was prepared for the 2015 election, adding that all materials including the card reading machines with in-built device to check fake permanent voter card (PVC), double voting and voting by proxy were on ground to check all manner of electoral frauds.

He further disclosed that Benue State had the highest zero polling unit non-collection of PVCs in the country, noting that out of the 3188 polling units in the state, 659 units were yet to collect PVCs. He stated that with the shift in the dates of the elections the commission was ready to distribute all remainder PVCs.

“INEC has the capacity to conduct a free, fair and credible election with the level of our preparation, the new card reader machine will go a long way in fishing out people who are ready to commit fraud during the election.”

He called on the state government to sensitise the people of the state to the urgency to collect their PVCs before the elections.

Professor Defwang also warned that INEC would not accept collection of cards by proxy even as he advised residents to go to the polling units where they registered to collect their cards.

In his remark, governor Suswam assured the state INEC boss that despite provocation by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which he alleged, shot two of its members in Konshisha and Guma local government areas of the state, government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would provide a peaceful atmosphere for non-violence elections.

He called on the state INEC to embark on more enlightenment on new voting system for a better understanding, especially by rural dwellers.