INEC Requires Extra N6.6Billion for Voters Registration Extension

CHAIRMAN, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday appeared before the Senate to explain some of the hitches trailing the ongoing voter registration exercise and hinted that the commission would need an extra sum of N6.6 billion to cope with the extension of the exercise by one week.

But the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the National Assembly to probe the voters’ registration exercise and the award of contracts for the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines.
The CNPP said such a probe would bring to light the real causes of the hiccups associated with the registration exercise.

In a statement, Secretary-General, CNPP, Willy Ezugwu, stated that the probe of the DDC machine contract award became imperative given the complaints arising from the poor conduct of the exercise, which bordered on alleged low quality machines and logistic problems that the funds earmarked for the exercise should have taken care of.

Ezugwu stated: “Jega owes Nigerians explanation over went wrong despite the monies given his Commission and the noise of adequate preparation before the exercise only to let Nigerians down eventually.

“The CNPP is going to meet over this, the situation is unacceptable and we can’t pretend that all is well. We have to hold Jega accountable. Nigerians cannot be taken for a ride; our democracy must work. We must have credible election this time around and to have this we must also have credible voter register.”

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday commended the House of Representatives for amending the Electoral Act 2010, thereby giving INEC the legal authority to extend the timeframe of the voters’ registration exercise.

Executive Secretary of the commission, Roland Ewubare, who stated this, stressed that “it is imperative to extend the voter registration period in order not to disenfranchise eligible voters who have shown tremendous level of enthusiasm in discharging their civic responsibility.”

The Senate, during its plenary session on Tuesday raised the alarm over the crisis that has attended the registration exercise since it started on January 14, 2011, and resolved that the INEC chairman should appear before it yesterday to explain the hiccups.

When the Senate resumed plenary, Deputy Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, moved a motion that that the bill seeking extension of the registration exercise be read. It immediately went through the second and third reading and was passed.

It mandated INEC to extend the registration till 30 days to the elections. The first election is the National Assembly polls, which would be held on April 2, 2011.

Jega entered the Senate chambers at 11.33a.m. and Senate President David Mark, who posed the first question, told him that the lawmakers were worried that despite all that had been done for INEC to have a hitch-free exercise, the complaints from Nigerians, including members of the National Assembly had become embarrassing.

He asked Jega to explain the hitches and also tell Nigerians what could be done to ensure that all eligible voters were registered.

Jega explained that the initial crisis which made it difficult for most eligible voters to register was caused by the DDC machines, which were mistakenly formatted forensic exercises that were of higher grade than mere capture of the information necessary for elections.

When it was discovered, Jega said the commission took immediate steps and corrected the error, hence the improvement now being witnessed in the exercise.

His words: “There was a problem where we discovered that the setting of the Direct Data Capture [DDC] machines was done for higher forensic activities. The first day was a disaster but by the second day, we had addressed the problem. There were challenges and they were normal challenges.’’

Jega also said that one of the DDC machine contractors could not deliver as agreed but added that the problem had been resolved and registration has picked up, with an average of four million people being registered per day.
He added that as at last week, over 28.4 million prospective voters had been registered, insisting that by this Saturday, between 43 to about 45 million Nigerians would have been registered.

He told the Senate that in view of the delay caused by the situation, the commission would request that the exercise be extended for a period of one week within which the remaining voters could be registered.
“We are considering extension to be fair to those areas where machines arrived late,’’ Jega said but stressed that the commission would not be able to create new registration units as requested by some Nigerians “because it is a constitutional matter.’’

He assured the lawmakers that the current exercise would reduce the problem of multiple registration to the barest minimum, adding that any one caught in the act would be made to face the law. “The possibility of multiple registration slipping in is one in five million,’’ he assured.
Insisting that the exercise was going well, Jega said: “Things are not as bad as they are made to appear. Many Nigerians have concluded that things won’t work and they are working towards that but things are not as bad as portrayed.’’

The INEC chief also disclosed that the commission would not conduct the April polls electronically. However, he said electronic registers would be used to accredit voters.

Admitting that some of the DDC machines had malfunctioned, Jega said their suppliers did not only provide warranty on them but had deployed engineers on sites to correct any error.

He also disclosed that the commission had purchased 534 vehicles and acquired some speedboats for its staff who would work in the riverine areas.

Responding to the question asked on whether some Nigerians with less than 10 fingers would not be at a disadvantage, Jega said provisions had been made for the INEC staff to make some remarks in the column where such names are registered to indicate such situations.
He explained that the hitches experienced by some ad hoc staff in the collection of their emoluments arose from inter-bank transfer and said that the problem had been resolved.

Jega equally disclosed that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed for the exercise were being paid N800 daily for transportation, which is increased to N1000 in some difficult terrains, while the allowances for the period of the registration is N30,000.
Reacting to the position of the Senate that schools should be reopened, Jega explained that it was true that premises of private schools were not being used for the exercise but argued that it would be unfair if only “the children of the elite like us are allowed to be in school while those in public schools remain at home throughout the period. If that is the sacrifice that is demanded of the elite, it is in national interest.’’
He dismissed the use of the old voters register for this year’s elections, stressing that he had been defending the law and “if I commit any illegality, let the law have its way.’’

When asked to state the amount INEC would need for the extension, he said: “We will be bringing a budget of N6.6 billion.’’

Concluding the session, Senate President Mark, tasked Jega to go the field and see the situation for himself instead of relying on information from his commissioners.

His words: “Try and go to the field and get feelers. No staff will give you any report that indicts him or her. Because of the one man, one vote campaign, a lot of people turned out to register. The fact is that there is frustration out there. There are logistic and administrative problems.”

Mark expressed the readiness of the chamber to allow as much time as permitted by law for the registration exercise. He told Jega not to threaten to resign his job as reported.

But the INEC chief denied the report, saying: “That does not arise. I never threatened to resign. I accepted this job and want to make it a success.’’

Mark also asked Jega to go and clear the hitches which President Goodluck Jonathan had with his registration, saying: “Mr. President has not been captured by the machine.’’
But Jega said the problem had been resolved and ‘’Mr. President does not need to go back to the centre, he has been captured and we explained to him.’’

The INEC chief, who was accompanied by other his commissioners, left the chamber at 3.03p.m.

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