The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has expressed excitement at the conduct of this Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after casting his vote at Dubawa Gari Primary Tanki Polling Unit in Sirika B Ward, Shargalle, Dutsi Local Government Area of Katsina State, the former law maker expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) will win the elections in the state and across the nation.
On the electoral process, Sirika lauded the hitch free accreditation and voting process at the unit and gave kudos to the technology deployed for the ongoing polls.
“I am indeed delighted and excited at the same time. There is no hitch whatsoever; I voted without a single hitch, it’s so smooth, efficient and quick.
“Thanks to technology, in 2003 and 2011 elections, you won’t have had the chance to interview me because there would have been ballot box snatching, multiple thumb printing, thuggery and so on and so forth.
“Since the introduction of technology beginning from 2015, if you steal ballot boxes, it’s of no use, if you hijack the ballot papers, it’s of no use and you will be identified,” said Sirika.
He added: “We are very grateful to God for bringing this system to where it is, which means your vote will be counted and they will count and your choice will be your choice. Your choice will no longer be written in bushes, crannies and nooks of this country.”
Reacting to the cashless policy introduced in the count down to the elections, the minister disagreed with the opinion that it had any bearing with the polls.
His words: “A voter has no price; it’s not a question of money. Look at the teeming number of voters here, is it money that brought them here? No! I am seeing the complaints about the policy as an excuse that people want to use for their failure. Democracy is by choice.
“People are voluntarily making their choices. Cashless policy has no bearing whatsoever in this election, at least not with the voters.”
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