Complaints trail voters registration

Vanguard

17 January 2011

Complaints trail voters registration

ABUJA—IT was complaints galore from many eligible voters across states of the federation who went home disappointed, yesterday, when they could not be registered on the second day of the voters registration exercise due to technical problems of the Direct Data Capture Machines.

In Abeokuta, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, got a dose of the frustrations and disappointments of many Nigerians over the ongoing voter registration exercise as the Direct Data Capture, DDC, machines employed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, rejected his finger prints several times.

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In a statement the national chairman of INEC, allayed fears the hitches observed on the first day of the election were being addressed.

The statement signed by the chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu reads:

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby allays the apprehension of Nigerians over whatever hitches might have been noticed in the commencement on Saturday, January 15, of the Voter Registration exercise nationwide.

“The Commission acknowledges the delayed deployment of Direct Data Capture machines in a few of the polling units across the country. It is also fully aware of glitches, which accounted for difficulties in the capture of fingerprints and, consequently, lengthy queues at some polling units.

“Nigerians should be reassured that these are initial problems which the Commission is looking into and hopes to redress as soon as possible.

“The Commission urges for patience, considering that today is just the first day of a 15_Day exercise. It also commends Nigerians for turning out in large numbers for the exercise and hereby reassures that no single person of registrable age who turns out to register will be denied the right in the course of the present exercise”.