Guardian News: Registration hitches: INEC sends experts to states

[NewsCaster]

HICCUPS in the ongoing nationwide voters' registration have received the attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Commission, which has been inundated with complaints from eminent Nigerians and other stakeholders over the malfunctioning of its Direct Data Capture Machines (DDCMs) and the inability of its field officers to operate them, yesterday deployed computer experts to some states to work on the equipment and assist the registration officers.

Some of the INEC computer engineers yesterday arrived in Akure, Ondo State, from Abuja where they started the reconfiguration of the machines.

Among Nigerian leaders, who were unable to register after several attempts due to their fingerprint not being picked by the machines were former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Senate President David Mark. Obasanjo was eventually registered.

Mark had on Sunday asked INEC to put its acts in order, describing its conduct of the exercise as unacceptable.

In Umunze, Orumba Local Council, it was unpleasant experience for the Anambra State Deputy Governor, Mr. Emeka Sibeudu and his wife, as the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu and the commission's engineers, spent over three hours to register them.

INEC officials in Borno and Yobe states yesterday attributed the problems with the machines along their printers and thumb print equipment to "improper upgrading of the software to a higher version."

Already, the 3,928 machines deployed in Borno have been upgraded to match the printer and thumb printing machines.

At the Maiduguri office of INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Tukur Sa'ad, said over 200 DDCMs were returned by the Assistant Registration Officers (ARO) to his office because their printers and thumbprint mechanism failed to capture the voters' thumbs.

Mohammed Bukar Ali, the head of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) of the commission, confirmed that most of the machines were not upgraded to higher version of 1.8, stating that the ones being used with 1.2 version could not capture voters' thumbs.

Ali said: "The problems encountered by the registration officers in the field can be fixed with our team of engineers that will upgrade all faulty machines to higher versions," adding that the upgrading will power both the printers and thumbprint machines.

He added that the placement of the finger on the printer should not exceed two to three seconds, noting that once the finger is shaking, the machine would reject it.   

Reports of rejection of fingerprints and slow responses of the equipment have continued to trail the exercise in Ondo.

AN INEC official in the state told The Guardian yesterday that the engineers have moved to the field to carry out repairs of the malfunctioning machines and that most of them now work perfectly.

He said the engineers were deployed not only in states where complaints of malfunctioning equipment had reached the head office of the commission in Abuja.

Two registration officers, Orji Ejike and Adebayo Olaide, who were paired at Wosem Church Registration Unit of Gbogi/Isikan in Akure metropolis, confirmed that the machine attached to their unit had been repaired by "an engineer from Abuja this morning (yesterday)."

The duo, who had registered 26 persons at noon yesterday, said many people would have been registered but for the problems they encountered at the weekend.

But in other locations in the state capital, complaints of inadequate machines and slow registration process trail the scheme with many residents expressing disappointment over the conduct of INEC officials.

And three days into the two-week exercise, registration is yet to commence at the four centres in Isolo Primary School, Maronu, Shagari Village, and Olu Foam areas of Ward 10 of Akure South Local Council.

The only signs that the centres were designated for the exercise were big posters proclaiming them as such and faces of disappointed residents, who came to meet empty centres with no officials to offer any explanation or direct them to other areas.

There were also allegations that some of the machines have been hijacked by some politicians to register fake names as a machine attached to a unit in Ward 10 was reportedly moved to another location in Ward 4.

But an INEC official ruled out the possibility of taking a machine to a location it was not meant for "because these machines have been configured to particular registration areas. If anyone of them is hijacked and taken to another place, it will not work."   

The Anambra INEC chief (Onukogu) admitted that there were problems with the exercise but added that they were surmountable. He said: "It was a bit of confusion in parts of the state at this stage of the exercise. But I have no doubt that in a couple of days, say tomorrow (Tuesday) the problems would have been surmounted."

He said that he took along with him some computer experts from his Awka office to monitor the process in the state. But at Umunze, while trying to register Sibeudu, his wife, and some legislators from the area, they encountered problems with the machine. It took more than three hours to register the deputy governor before the machine broke down. He said the problems were already being addressed.

He listed other draw backs being experienced at this stage to include the failure of the scanners to work and some polling/registration units yet to take delivery of the machines because the state has not received its full consignment.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chairman, Chief Amechi Obidike, listed the problems associated with the project as lack of generating sets to power the machines, inefficient scanners, and inexperienced INEC ad-hoc officials.

The state Deputy Chairman of All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Titus Anabogu, said the materials for the exercise started arriving the Ekwulobia- Aguata headquarters of INEC on Saturday morning.

Abia State Governor Theodore Orji and his wife, Mercy registered as voters at Ugba Primary School Urban Ward 1 in Umuahia metropolis in the presence of his deputy, Chief Acho Nwakanma at 10 a.m. yesterday, some members of the state executive council.

Orji and his wife were registered as160th and 161st in the Ward under the supervision of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Austin Okojie. He told the governor that the initial hitches experienced in the exercise had eased, the system called software had been upgraded.

He said:  "I have done my civic duty and responsibility in this regard, which every citizen of 18 years and above should do. This place is orderly and working accordingly. New exercises like this begin with initial problems that normally ease after a short time.

"I am impressed with the turn out of people to register and happy that INEC and the registration officials are coping with this towards registering all qualified Nigerians."

His Lagos State counterpart, Babatunde Fashola yesterday called for the employment of more hands for better coverage.

Fashola told reporters at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, yesterday in view of the various lapses that have been identified since the exercise started, INEC needed more workers to speedy up the process. He said the cost implication of engaging more hands should not deter INEC because "we've gone too far now to begin to worry about funding. This is an exercise we may not get right otherwise we'll be compelled to repeat again. So, if we must put more hands, so be it."

Also, the Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke has said the possession of a voter's card by every Nigerian above 18 years is the only way the desired change in the polity can be effected.

At the Government Primary School, Itigidi Abi Local Council, where he registered, Imoke urged Nigerians to come out en mass and register if they want genuine democracy in the country.

He said the voters' card also gives its owner the right and power to elect candidates into various political offices, adding that it was imperative for traditional rulers, community, the clergy and youth groups to mobilise people for the exercise.

Mr. Mike Igini, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) said every resident of the state would be given the opportunity to register during the exercise.

The Imo State, Governor Ikedia Ohakim, who described the process of the registration as being simplified, however, enjoined INEC to work on the thump printing machines so that they can work well.

He appealed to the people to endeavour to register because "this is your chance to elect your preferred candidates."

Registration hitches: INEC sends experts to states