Politicians Seeks Early Release Of e-Voter Cards

Some politicians on Monday in Lagos appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure an early distribution of the electronic voter cards in 2013.

The politicians, who spoke in separate interviews with The Tide agreed that if this was done, it would ensure early detection and correction of mistakes that could arise thereof. The Tide reports that Prof. Attahiru Jega, the INEC Chairman, said in November 2012 that the commission was ready to issue permanent electronic voter cards that would be valid for 10 years.

He said, “with the design of the card and specifications, it will serve for an average of 10 years, as it could also be used for the 2019 elections.”

The INEC chief said the electronic voter card would eliminate fraud and ensure credible and transparent polls. He made the pledge at an INEC/civil society dialogue, on plans and progress towards the 2015 elections in Abuja.

A former National Chairman of the defunct Progressive Action Council (PAC), Chief Charles Nwodo, expressed dissatisfaction over the commissions’ readiness to conduct credible election in 2015.

“As far as we are concerned, we are still far from free, fair and transparent elections in this country.

“Since INEC announced the readiness of the electronic permanent voter cards, nobody has seen it and they have not started distributing it. We expected that the conduct of other elections should involve the use of that electronic permanent voter cards.

“This will confirm the authenticity of the card with a view to discovering mistakes, so that it will be amended before the 2015 elections,’’ he said.

Mr Damian Ogbonna, the National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), also urged INEC to commence the distribution of the cards early.

“The Ekiti election is by the corner; I expect that INEC should sample the permanent electronic voter cards. `We expected that after the announcement of INEC, that distribution will commence so that every mistakes will be corrected before the next elections,’’ he said.

Ogbonna said a situation where INEC rushed through things was wrong, adding that nothing would be done properly and the whole process would be a mess. He said that no good would come out of any election that was done in a rush.

Ogbonna urged the commission to provide those cards to the electorate, if they were indeed ready for use in the 2015 elections.

Mr Abraham Breakforth, the Executive Director, Global Initiative for African Development (GIFAD)— a non- governmental organisation, also said it would be proper for INEC to commence early distribution of the cards. According to him, this is the only way the commission can win back the confidence of the electorate.

“INEC, since mid 2012, has been saying that the electronic voter card is ready, yet no one has seen it. As it is now, electorates are fast losing confidence in the electoral body, because they believe that INEC is not sincere,’’ he said.