17th January, 2011
The hitches threatening to undermine the ongoing voter registration exercise nationwide by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were envisaged as reported in P.M.NEWS edition of Monday, 10 January 2011.
In the report, with the headline INEC Staff Can’t Operate DDC Machines, we highlighted INEC’s ad hoc staff’s complaints and frustration in the course of their training on how to use the DDC machines.
The ad hoc staff had also expressed their misgivings about the success of the ongoing registration exercise because of their inability to use the machines and the fact that the machines were not working seamlessly.
We hereby reproduce part of the report to buttress the fact that the current hitches were long foretold and that they could mar the entire exercise:
Many of the 132, 000 units of the Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machines ordered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the purpose of registering Nigerians ahead of this year’s elections are not working seamlessly. P.M.NEWS investigation has revealed.
The machines cost $1771.73 per set comprising a laptop, webcam, and printer and were supplied by three companies including Zinox Technologies Limited, Haier Electrical Appliances Corporation and Avante International Technology Inc to the commission.
The DDC machines which were manufactured in China, from where they were brought to Nigeria are expected to be used by ad-hoc staff of INEC and corps members in the country for the registration of adult citizens between 15 and 29 January, 2011.
But P.M.NEWS learnt that most of the ad-hoc staff employed to train and monitor the members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had hectic time at the weekend trying to operate the machines.
Though the ad-hoc staff who are also the supervising registration officers were instructed by INEC not to speak with journalists throughout the exercise, some of them who pleaded anonymity, expressed their pessimism about the exercise to P.M.NEWS.
According to them, the registration would experience hitches as many Nigerians may not be able to register in order to get their voters’ cards.
They said they had complained to the officials of the commission that they could not successfully operate the machines to no avail.
“One of the officials told us to just make do with what we have and get our allowances at the end of the day since our complaints could generate problems if they are made public.
“That is also the reason we were asked not to speak with the press throughout the registration of voters,†one of the supervisors said.
Another ad-hoc staff of the commission told P.M.NEWS that it was too late to effect any changes or since the date for the commencement of the exercise had started.
According to him, “this challenge is sure going to be another setback for the commission in the conduct of a free and fair election this year.â€
“Many people will not be able to register. Some would even register and they would not get their slips which would enable them get the voter’s cards when they are ready.â€
Some of the Corps members, apart from expressing fears about their security during the exercise, also said they were disappointed that they could not operate the machines well at the practical.
