National Coordinator for Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People(CDRP) Comrade Amitolu Shittu has advised stakeholders in this forthcoming general elections to close ranks and allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make use of the card readers for the elections in order to eliminate fraud and over-voting during the elections.

Speaking with THISDAY correspondent in Ilorin, Kwara State capital on Friday during a chat, Comrade Shittu said that, all efforts must be on deck by all the stakeholders in the elections to support and collaborate with the INEC so as to achieve credible and acceptable elections.

He said, "Since the INEC had done a mock assessment on the usage of card readers in some states of the federation before the general elections, the commission must be given chance to make corrections that would assist it to achieve a maximum results at the end of the day.

"What is paramount on the minds of all the people of the country is on how the INEC would achieve good results during the polls and the only way out is to allow the use of card readers to see the light of the day so as to eliminate all that may affect the conduct of the polls.

"The usage of the card readers would authenticate the owner of the permanent voters cards before allowing the owner to vote and this would assist us to achieve a credible and acceptable elections results.

" Formerly, our accreditation during any elections is always accompanied with complaints, but with the introduction of this card readers, it would authenticate your permanent voters cards as the true owners of such card before allowing such person to cast his or her votes during the polls and this will prevent manipulations that usually characterized our polls in this country.

"I want to urge the politicians in the country to support the INEC in the using of this card readers so as to address all electoral malpractices that usually marred our elections in this country".

"The INEC led by Professor Attahiru Jega has laid a good foundation for free and fair elections in this country and this must be supported by all and sundry so as to ensure the development of the nation's democracy", he said.

He noted that, the Nigerians should give kudos to the INEC for taking the country from analogue system of elections to the computer system through the issuance of permanent voters cards that would guide against any fraud in the polls.

He therefore called on those scheming for the position of Professor Jega to have a re-think saying that, if such development is allowed to manifest, it portends a serious threat to the growth of the nation's democracy.