Nigeria 2015 Polls: INEC buys 20,000 extra card readers

The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed the procurement of about 20,000 backup card readers and 35,000 backup batteries as part of measures to tackle possible challenges during the accreditation and election exercise scheduled to hold on March 28 and April 11.

Recently-held elections in countries like Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Cote D’Ivoire, Uganda, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Colombia, which made use of similar biometric technologies, were marred with challenges like data manipulation, poor mobile networks, and breakdown of card readers.

Mr. Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, however, said with the procurement of backup devices, among other precautionary measures, it would limit the challenges that may arise during the election exercise.

Idowu explained that whatever time was lost in the deployment of new cards would be added. He added that if, for instance, the replacement resulted in a one-hour delay, the five-hour accreditation exercise would thus be extended from its scheduled closing time of 1 pm to 2 pm.

He noted that in addition, if a card reader cannot be replaced before the time for accreditation is over that day, the exercise would be repeated the following day.

He also said poor mobile connection would not be a challenge as the card readers make use of sim cards.

According to the Jega’s spokesperson, the card readers are designed with built-in memory due to areas that may have poor network coverage.

...Punch