Protesting youths, under the umbrella of “Middle Belt Concerned Youths” on Wednesday, stormed the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, protesting the use of permanent voter cards (PVCs) and the card readers for the elections.

This was just as they also called on the Federal Government to sack the INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega with immediate effect.

However, the youth, who arrived the Maitama headquarters of INEC in hired luxury buses around 8.00 a.m. were prevented by armed policemen and other security agents, who cordoned the INEC office.

The youths, armed with various placards, were received by an Assistant Director in charge of security, Victor Egbo, on behalf of the commission. He received their protest letter with a promise to deliver same to the commission’s chairman.

They said they were at INEC to register their grievances against the use of the PVCs and card readers, because of what they said were the failures recorded during the recent mock exercise of last Saturday by the INEC.

President of the group, Yunusa Yusuf, declared that “judging from what transpired during the exercise, it had been proven that batteries of these card readers do not function for more than three hours. The question, therefore is, what happens if the battery fails during the election proper, especially in rural areas?” he queried.

Yusuf called on INEC to suspend the use of the PVCs and the card readers till 2019 general election, describing the success and credibility of the forthcoming elections as crucial to the survival of the country’s democracy.

He further alleged that the APC and INEC had concluded plans to rig the forthcoming elections, saying the claims of APC supporters in Kano and Lagos states that the machines were functioning properly were mere cover-up.

According to him, “for the simple fact that APC and INEC are on the same page on the use of PVCs and card readers speak volumes about their plans to rig the forthcoming polls, which all right-thinking and well-meaning Nigerians must resist with vigour.

“If the APC supporters in Kano and Lagos states claimed that the electronic machines did not fail during the mock exercise in their states, they are simply playing to the gallery; it is a cover-up and a far cry from the ugly reality starring everybody in the face.”

The youth leader further argued that “in as much as we appreciate the steadfastness and enormous innovations institutionalised by INEC to bequeath free and fair elections to the nation, it is still the contention of majority of Nigerians that such efforts must not be sacrificed on the altar of a fool-hardy insistence of proceeding with the use of PVCs, despite the glaring imperfections inherent in them.

He said insisting on using them for the elections would only end up disenfranchising a huge segment of Nigeria’s voting population.

“We frown at this orchestrated plot to disenfranchise a high preponderance of eligible Nigerian voters by INEC, as epitomised in its determination to go ahead with the use of PVCs and card readers, regardless of the genuine concerns expressed by relevant stakeholders in the polity, a development likely to compromise the integrity of the elections,” he said.

According to him, “unlike the temporary voter cards (TVCs), which are easy to obtain and use during elections, PVCs are a bit technically-complicated for an average rural dweller. Instead of this straight-jacketed insistence of using PVCs and card readers, INEC should rather be thinking of fashioning out alternative measures of ensuring the success of the elections that will not only be acceptable to Nigerians, but also meet international standards.”

Meanwhile, Professor Jega, on Wednesday, assured the nation and the international community that the commission would meet the aspirations of Nigerians for free, fair and credible elections.

Jega gave the assurance in Abuja, at a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in states of the federation and Abuja, during which preparations for the forthcoming elections were reviewed.

The INEC chairman, who disclosed that the meeting was summoned to examine the gaps and other things to do in the next few weeks, including matters relating to the distribution of the permanent voter cards (PVCs) and the mock demonstration of card readers carried out last Saturday in some selected states of the federation for the smooth conduct of the polls, assured that “the commission is doing its best to ensure free fair and credible polls.”

According to him,”our best will be good enough in terms of meeting the aspirations of Nigerians for free and fair elections.”

He said the commission was fully prepared to do everything possible to ensure near perfection and get the support of all stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the polls.

While restating that the commission would engage election processes within the legal framework and the laid down code of conducts, Jega charged candidates in the general election to respect the Abuja peace accord signed both at the presidential election and state levels.