2015: INEC Takes Delivery of 20m Voters' Cards

Professor Attahiru Jega

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),

Professor Attahiru Jega, yesterday said the commission had taken
delivery of over 20 million voters’ cards from the supplier in
preparation for the 2015 elections, adding that efforts to get the
rest were on.

Jega made this disclosure yesterday as a guest speaker of the national
old students association, Olivet Baptist High School's night of
excellence dinner held in Ikeja, Lagos and hosted by the President of
the association, Mr. Olusegun Ahmadu.

While speaking, Jega revealed the modalities for the 2015 elections
which include the use of card readers, serial numbering and colour
coding of ballot papers to vary from constituency to constituency and
unique result sheets for each and every polling unit.

Stressing that the commission had been making additional efforts for
the 2015 elections, on the strength of the lessons learnt from the
2011 elections, Jega added that unless elections were reformed and
citizens votes truly made to count, good democratic governance would
continue to elude the nation.

Since assumption of duty in 2010, he said the commission had
assiduously worked to improve the electoral process and incrementally
satisfy citizens' desire for their votes to  count and for democracy
to be deepened.

Also, he said other achievements recorded in 2011 were made realisable
through the new biometric register of voters, a re-modified open
ballot system (REMBOS), serial numbering and colour coding of ballot
boxes and papers, would be reacted in the next election.

He added that there would be a revised framework for results collation
and returns and engagement of ad hoc staff, more open and transparent
procedures, modalities and processes on the election day.

But prominently, Jega said the commission would ensure closer
collaboration and partnership with a range of critical stakeholders
including political parties, security agencies, civil society and
media organisations, as well as ensure increased and improved voter
education and citizen enlightenment with re-training of INEC staff.

He said: "We are using card readers unique to every eligible voter and
fashioned in such a way that only the owners can use it, because it
would stop politicians from buying the citizens voters card and vote.

"Again, all ballot papers, result sheets and ballot boxes would be
serially numbered  and the colour will vary from constituency to
constituency in order to prevent situations where the ballot papers
will be moved around.

"We will also make sure that the result sheets will be unique for
every polling unit. All these measures are geared towards striving to
improve our electoral process and after the 2015 elections, INEC would
be adjudged the best electoral body in the world."

politics 2:55:00 PM