Registration Machines Disgrace: INEC Staff Threanten To Quit Job

With a deluge of complaints and grievances trailing the registration of voters by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which began Saturday, P.M.NEWS has learnt that some of the over 200, 000 corps members recruited as ad-hoc staff by the commission have started backing out.

It was learnt that while some of the corps members are angry at the shoddy preparation of INEC for the registration exercise and the fact that most of them  were not paid their training allowance, others are believed to have decided to abandon the exercise because they were not sure they would be paid at the end  of the exercise.

Besides, some of the ad hoc staff said the Direct Data Capture machines were faulty and they found it difficult to operate the  machines.

A youth corps member attached to the Ikeja Local Government told P.M.NEWS that she had a lot of challenges operating the machine and printer.

According to her, “the problem started with the printer because it was malfunctioning. And later, the battery of the machine went off. We called the  Registration Area Commander (RACO), who went to charge it, but the problem persisted”.

The corps member, who craved anonymity, added that “On Saturday, I only managed to register about 15 people. And when the problem continued on Sunday,   people started complaining.”

The corps members also accused officials of the commission of replacing them with their friends and family members after they (the corps members) had  successfully passed through the training process.

P.M.NEWS learnt that some corps members also decided to back out of the exercise in solidarity with their colleagues whose names were substituted for other  people who are not corps members and did not attend any of the training sessions.

Sources at the INEC office told P.M.NEWS that most of the corps members being used as ad hoc registration officers are prepared to quit but for the threats  by officials of INEC that anyone who backs out at this critical period would be reported to the NYSC authorities for sanctions.

“This may have been the reason for the delay in the take off last Saturday, the first day of the exercise. It is also the reason some registration centres  were empty with nobody to register anyone since the exercise began. I have received so many calls that I no longer pick my calls except I know the caller  because I am tired of complaints by Nigerians and politicians. I was not here when they bought the machines and I am not an after-sales person,” a source  said.

He also said more than half of eligible Nigerians would not be able to register their names at the end of the two weeks exercise because of the problems.

P.M.NEWS went round Lagos, southwest, Nigeria during the weekend and noticed that though many Nigerians turned out for the exercise, they could not be  registered.

In Agege Local Government Area as well as Orile-Agege local council development area, INEC ad hoc staff were battling with the machines and expressing their  frustration publicly.

Some of them told P.M.NEWS that they would not have participated if they knew the challenges before then.

“At a time, the residents of my centre had to buy us soft drinks to ease our tension. They sympathised with us since they knew it was not our fault,” said an  NYSC member who spoke with P.M.NEWS in Agege.

Asked how many people she was able to register, she said: “on Saturday, we registered only 14 people and could not print out their cards because the printer  was really bad. On Sunday again we could only register 11 and the printer only printed four slips out of the number.”

In Eti-Osa, Lagos, some of the machines did not function at some centres, only three people were registered throughout the day.

In all registration centres at Aboru, near Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, the INEC could only register five voters yesterday.

However, this morning a new method was devised which enabled more residents to register.

Residents were advised to wash their hands before putting their fingers on the DDC machines. They were also advised to clean their fingers with methylated  spirit.

So far, the new devise hasbeen working and more people  were registered in the area this morning.

Efforts by the INEC ad hoc staff  to get residents of Eredo Local Development Area in Epe, Lagos State to register  proved abortive.

The Chairman, Eredo Local Development Area in Epe Area of Lagos State, Hon. Laja Adelaya complained that despite the large turnout of people due to his  effort and that of the Oba in his area Oba Babatunde Ogunlaja, the DDC machines were not working.

Also, the Agbede community in Agbede area of Ikorodu said the machines provided are not enough.

Speaking through its CDA Chairman, Evangelist Segun, the community said if things are not rectified, a number of people will not be able to register.

Prince Oroetan Orokoto, who sent a text message to P.M.NEWS from Ijora-Badia said: “Most of the registration machines brought to Apapa Iganmu LCDA are not  performing at all, especially in unit number 27 Ladejobi Street, Ijora Badia.”

Iwuanyanwu Thaddeus, a resident of Ibafo, Ogun State, also said the machines brought to his area were under-performing.

According to him, “it took INEC staff over one hour to fix the two DDC machines in the two centres in the area, but the finger scanners and capture machine  were not working .”

He said that nobody had registered at 4.30 pm on Saturday, asking if INEC could meet the two weeks deadline.

Favour Afolabi wrote that “Nigerians shouldn’t expect any miracles from INEC as per voters registration.”

Mockingly, he said the first week should be declared as “Test Run Week” while the exercise should be extended by another two weeks.

“Practically all work days should be declared as ‘Half Days’ as well especially in places like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, to allow workers register  en masse.

Stephen Olukoga, a Corps member who wrote on Facebook from Ogun State said people were already blaming corps members for the problems associated with the  machines,

“People should know and be told that the machines are of low standard especially the ten finger print which is the scanner. At times it could take up two  hours before an individual could be registered. Imagine as a corps member in Ogun State the materials given to me were not complete.There are no table and  chairs, ink and no security or transport fare. No feeding allowance.”

Nelly Agwu also wrote on the social interaction site : “Save me o. I dey laugh o. I have been to two registration centres in my area but alas in one place by  14.52pm on Saturday, one person is yet to capture her finger prints. At d 2nd place by 1500pm only 8persons have registered.

“The capture machine has stopped to function o. Which way INEC?”

From Jigawa State, Edoja Edafe, said: “We didn’t conduct voters’ registration here in my Local Government in Jigawa. There were problems of inadequate DDC  machines, stranded corpers and other problems.”

Okorodudu Ilemi Austine who wrote from Delta State said: “At Ebu in Oshimili North Local Government Area, no official or equipment were found at about 2pm  when I visited the three centres in the town. People were seen waiting tirelessly in d centres.”

In Taraba report from our correspondents across the country this morning reveales that some of the DDC machines are not working and the ad hoc INEC staffers  especially the youth corps members are not helping matters as they can not operate the machines effectively.

Our correspondent revealed that there was a large turn out of residents but they were unable to register.

The INEC Commissioner in the state, Dr Abba Kyari Sadiq said that he is aware of the problems and he is working on how to rectify them.

There was an impressive turn out in Kano State on Sunday as most of the businessmen wanted to use the opportunity of the holiday to register but they were  disappointed as the thumb printing machines are not working coupled with the ineffective INEC officials in charge of the machines.

Right now INEC officers are going round the state to sensitise those handling the machines on how to use them.

In Ilorin, Kwara State the registration is very slow as both the thumb printing.and photograph capturing machines are not working effectively.

Reports from Makurdi revealed that some of the INEC officials were unable to operate the machines provided for registration.  Worse still the two day holiday  declared by Enugu State Governor has not improved the situation. Residents  especially civil servants were disappointed at the turn of events.

The major problems encountered in Benue State, according to our correspondent are the non functioning scanning machines and lack of lamination materials  despite the large turn out of people.

Same problems were said to have been encountered in Kaduna.

Meanwhile, an INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Lai Olurode, while speaking on a radio programme yesterday afternoon, said INEC spent a major part of the  amount approved to the Commission by the government on the purchase of the machines.

He also said the corps members were entitled to N3, 000 daily throughout the period adding that N1, 000 of the amount was meant for their feeding. This  amounts to N42, 000 each to a corps member at the end of the exercise.

— Ayodele Lawal, Eromosele Ebhomele & Our Correspondents

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