In preparation for detection of Nigerians involved in multiple registration during the just-concluded voter registration exercise, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has acquired and began the installation of a software for the exercise. This was revealed on yesterday by the Commission’s spokesman in Ekiti State, Mr. Taiwo Gbadegesin while commenting on the display of voters’ registers at different registration centres in the state.
Gbdegesin disclosed that the verification exercise would be done centrally at the Commission’s headquarters in Ado Ekiti, noting that only the display of the registers at the 2,195 registration centres in the state was what the commission was doing at the moment.
Speaking on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commission(REC), Alhaji Isyaku MaigoroCommission’s spokesman revealed that verification of multiple registration would commence on February 18, immediately after the conclusion of display of voters’ registers.
He affirmed that the Chairman of the commission, Prof Attahiru Jega was committed to conducting free, fair, credible and internationally acceptable general elections in April, noting that if the issue of multiple registration was not checked, it would give room for rigging.
According to him, “This is not an issue that can be treated with levity. Our office had received the ICT software that would enable us perform a verification exercise by processing the names of those that registered and ascertain whether they comply with the rule that stipulated that you can only register once.
“We are to commence the process as soon as we are though with the ongoing display of voters’ registration exercise.”
The image-maker, however, noted that the display of the registers would avail the commission to entertain complaints and objections from registered voters before moving to the next level of the exercise.
Meanwhile, the General Overseer of Cherubim and Seraphim(Dews of Blessing), Dr.(Prophet) Emmanuel Adedeji had called on the commission to make voters’ verification during the April general elections electronic so that it would be possible for any registered electorate to cast his/her vote anywhere in the country.
General Overseer of Cherubim and Seraphim(Dews of Blessing), Dr.(Prophet) Emmanuel Adedeji made the statement on Sunday at the church Headquarters at Mosan, Ipaja, Lagos, while commenting on the conduct of the just concluded voters’ registration in the country.
Dr, Adedeji, who made the call at the church Headquarters at Mosan, Ipaja, Lagos on Sunday, observed that since the commission said software for multiple registration detection was available, it would be complementary for the commission to upgrade the software to make verification of voters at each polling station across the nation possible.
“If the Direct Data Capture(DDC) machines used for the voters’ registration exercise could detect double or multiple registration, it should be possible for voters’ verification to take place at the same time all over the country during the general election if the collation of the data is made on-line.
Once a voter is verified at a polling station, the software should be able to notify that the same voter had been verified at a particular station to prevent double voting at different point.
This would allow registered voters who may not be in the location where they registered to still perform their civic duties,” Dr. Adedeji submitted.
The cleric noted that if the commission could achieve this feat, the nation data base would be established and the nation would be heading for situation where economic policies would be based on the statistics available.
He observed that with the way Prof. Attahiru Jega-led INEC is handling the voters’ registration, the future of the nation in terms of authentic data base seemed to be now.
He, however, enjoined the chairman of the commission to ensure the April general elections are free, fair and acceptable to the people, calling on politicians to cooperate with the commission to make it possible.
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