The chairman of the South-East governors’ forum, Chief David Umahi yesterday insisted that card readers machine must be tested to determine its functionality before the 2019 election.

Umahi made this known while addressing the State Resident Electoral Commissioner and his team during a courtesy visit that took place at the exco-chambers, government house Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

The governor, however, expressed worries that over 50,000 voters in Ebonyi State were yet to collect their Permanent voters card, PVC, noting that such low turnout was capable of affecting the forthcoming 2019 general election.

He further warned opposition parties in the state not to hack into the INEC data base on or before the election, stressing that the forthcoming election must be free, fair and credible.

“I want to commend your National Chairman for a very beautiful job INEC did in Anambra State and it doesn’t matter whose ox is gored.

“I am happy with what the REC said, that all votes must count. Some people have boasted and said ‘look oh’ that they are going to write the results in Ebonyi State so there is no need to work hard, no need to tell people that we can do more than what the governor is doing or what other elected people are doing in Ebonyi State”, the governor said.

Ealier in a remark, the REC, Prof Godswill Obioma said that the commission was highly prepared for the 2019 general election.

He disclosed that the commission had since July this year commenced enlightenment campaign in the 13 LGAs of the state, educating voters on the importance of collecting their PVC.

He lamented the increasing low turnout of female in the recent voters, registration exercise that took place in the state.

Prof. Obioma further urged the governor to assist the commission to embark on aggressive sensitization of voters to avoid apathy in the forthcoming 2019 general election in the state.