he Independent National Electoral Commission in Kwara State on Friday revealed why the card readers malfunctioned in the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections across the country.
Punch reports that the electoral commission in a memo sent to the supervisory and presiding polling officers by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo, identified non-removal of (nylon) films on the finger capture region of card readers as one of the causes of the problems experienced with the device in the March 28 polls.
The electoral umpire also identified the non-removal of the card reader’s battery as part of the problem, explaining that for the device to work properly, it required that it must be reconfigured before it could be used.
Onucheyo, therefore gave directives to all the electoral officers to prevent a repeat of the aforementioned challenges.
“Ensure the card readers are properly charged before handing them to supervisory/presiding officers. Ensure that the batteries are not removed for any reason whatsoever. If in any case, the batteries are removed, contact the administrators for reconfiguration. Ensure all the nylon film, covering the finger capture area, is removed before use. The SPOs should be re-educated about the card readers and their importance,” the memo read.
Meanwhile, the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Ayanda Jacob, assured that the earlier technical hitch could be avoided if the electoral officers adhere to the directives given them.
“The essence of passing the memo is to avoid the challenges we faced in the last elections. It is faster for card readers to identify registered voters if the nylon on the finger capture area is removed. Some presiding officers did not do so. Some officers also removed the devices’ batteries and by so doing, they stopped working properly until they were reconfigured. Generators have been provided to fully charge the batteries and each battery lasts for about 12 hours,” he said.
Jacob also used the medium to announce that both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials have been moved to the 16 local government areas of the state in readiness for tomorrow’s polls.
The commission’s spokesman said INEC had made proper arrangements to ensure that the Saturday’s election was more effective than the previous one.
During the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections, there were several cases of malfunctioning of card readers as it fails to read voters finger prints.
The case was a bit worse in the south-south geopolitical zone where President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife could not be accredited on time in a polling unit at his home town in Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, the INEC in Plateau state has issued a stern warning to anyone attempting to be around polling units during tomorrow’s elections without Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
Friday, 10 April 2015
INEC Reveals Why Card Readers Failed In March 28 Polls
INEC Reveals Why Card Readers Failed In March 28 Polls
he Independent National Electoral Commission in Kwara State on Friday revealed why the card readers malfunctioned in the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections across the country.
Punch reports that the electoral commission in a memo sent to the supervisory and presiding polling officers by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo, identified non-removal of (nylon) films on the finger capture region of card readers as one of the causes of the problems experienced with the device in the March 28 polls.
The electoral umpire also identified the non-removal of the card reader’s battery as part of the problem, explaining that for the device to work properly, it required that it must be reconfigured before it could be used.
Onucheyo, therefore gave directives to all the electoral officers to prevent a repeat of the aforementioned challenges.
“Ensure the card readers are properly charged before handing them to supervisory/presiding officers. Ensure that the batteries are not removed for any reason whatsoever. If in any case, the batteries are removed, contact the administrators for reconfiguration. Ensure all the nylon film, covering the finger capture area, is removed before use. The SPOs should be re-educated about the card readers and their importance,” the memo read.
Meanwhile, the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Ayanda Jacob, assured that the earlier technical hitch could be avoided if the electoral officers adhere to the directives given them.
“The essence of passing the memo is to avoid the challenges we faced in the last elections. It is faster for card readers to identify registered voters if the nylon on the finger capture area is removed. Some presiding officers did not do so. Some officers also removed the devices’ batteries and by so doing, they stopped working properly until they were reconfigured. Generators have been provided to fully charge the batteries and each battery lasts for about 12 hours,” he said.
Jacob also used the medium to announce that both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials have been moved to the 16 local government areas of the state in readiness for tomorrow’s polls.
The commission’s spokesman said INEC had made proper arrangements to ensure that the Saturday’s election was more effective than the previous one.
During the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections, there were several cases of malfunctioning of card readers as it fails to read voters finger prints.
The case was a bit worse in the south-south geopolitical zone where President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife could not be accredited on time in a polling unit at his home town in Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, the INEC in Plateau state has issued a stern warning to anyone attempting to be around polling units during tomorrow’s elections without Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
he Independent National Electoral Commission in Kwara State on Friday revealed why the card readers malfunctioned in the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections across the country.
Punch reports that the electoral commission in a memo sent to the supervisory and presiding polling officers by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo, identified non-removal of (nylon) films on the finger capture region of card readers as one of the causes of the problems experienced with the device in the March 28 polls.
The electoral umpire also identified the non-removal of the card reader’s battery as part of the problem, explaining that for the device to work properly, it required that it must be reconfigured before it could be used.
Onucheyo, therefore gave directives to all the electoral officers to prevent a repeat of the aforementioned challenges.
“Ensure the card readers are properly charged before handing them to supervisory/presiding officers. Ensure that the batteries are not removed for any reason whatsoever. If in any case, the batteries are removed, contact the administrators for reconfiguration. Ensure all the nylon film, covering the finger capture area, is removed before use. The SPOs should be re-educated about the card readers and their importance,” the memo read.
Meanwhile, the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Ayanda Jacob, assured that the earlier technical hitch could be avoided if the electoral officers adhere to the directives given them.
“The essence of passing the memo is to avoid the challenges we faced in the last elections. It is faster for card readers to identify registered voters if the nylon on the finger capture area is removed. Some presiding officers did not do so. Some officers also removed the devices’ batteries and by so doing, they stopped working properly until they were reconfigured. Generators have been provided to fully charge the batteries and each battery lasts for about 12 hours,” he said.
Jacob also used the medium to announce that both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials have been moved to the 16 local government areas of the state in readiness for tomorrow’s polls.
The commission’s spokesman said INEC had made proper arrangements to ensure that the Saturday’s election was more effective than the previous one.
During the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections, there were several cases of malfunctioning of card readers as it fails to read voters finger prints.
The case was a bit worse in the south-south geopolitical zone where President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife could not be accredited on time in a polling unit at his home town in Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, the INEC in Plateau state has issued a stern warning to anyone attempting to be around polling units during tomorrow’s elections without Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
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