The voter registration exercise going on all over
the country is one that every Nigerian must participate in if they want
to be able to vote for candidates of their choice during the next
general elections. It has, however, been observed that to get
registered at any of the centres is a herculean task as various
challenges have trailed the exercise, including difficulties in getting
fingertips scanned. At other centres, though, Direct Data Capturing
machines are yet to be available for the exercise. This has raised some
dust among politicians and prospective voters who have allegedly made
attempts to disenfranchise potential voters by political opponents.
NEXT decided to spend a day at one of the
registration centres to see what it takes to get registered ahead of
the April general elections. At Unit 8, located along Ekpan road, by
Ekpan General Hospital gate, Warri in Delta State, voters numbering
about 27 crowded around three small tables used by the officers at the
registration centre. To control the crowd, numbers are given to the
prospective voters who take turns to register.
While some of the people remained calm, waiting to
take their turn, others were restless, complaining of the slow process
of the exercise and the scorching sun they had to contend with.
Elizabeth Unugere, a community representative at the centre, told NEXT
that the exercise has been going on smoothly, except for some small
hitches.
“The computer and other machines used for the
registration get hot at times,” she said. “This slows down the process.
It will be better if INEC makes fans available to help cool the
machines down.” Mrs. Unugere disclosed that between 50 and 80 persons
are registered daily, depending on how the computer responds to their
operation. She however denied allegations by some of the prospective
voters that they experienced difficulties while having their fingers
scanned.
Must be registered
At a point, one of the prospective voters, who
refused to give her name, became restive as she held on to Mrs.
Unugere, insisting that she must be registered without fail. She
narrated her experience to get registered thus:
“I have been here for four days now, and I am yet
to be registered. I leave my work to queue here every day, hoping that
it will soon get to my turn. They gave me number 18 since four days
ago, but look at me now, they are still telling me to exercise
patience. I think I have run out of patience my brother. They must
register me today; I have other things to do.”
There were others who had also had complaints about the slow
process. But they hoped that it would get to their turn some time
before the expiration of the exercise. The six hours that NEXT waited
at Unit 8 registration centre to observe the process of getting
registered revealed so much. It showed that INEC still has a long way
to go if it is to deliver a credible election to Nigerians come April.
The politicians also have much to do to convince Nigerians that they
really deserve all the sacrifices Nigerians are making to get
registered, by giving back to the people dividends of democracy. The
voter registration ahead of the April general elections is scheduled to
run between Saturday, January 15 to Saturday, January 29. Many
concerned Nigerians, including governors, have however called for an
extension of the date by INEC to enable every eligible Nigerians to
register their names for the forthcoming elections.
The voter registration exercise going on all over
the country is one that every Nigerian must participate in if they want
to be able to vote for candidates of their choice during the next
general elections. It has, however, been observed that to get
registered at any of the centres is a herculean task as various
challenges have trailed the exercise, including difficulties in getting
fingertips scanned. At other centres, though, Direct Data Capturing
machines are yet to be available for the exercise. This has raised some
dust among politicians and prospective voters who have allegedly made
attempts to disenfranchise potential voters by political opponents.
NEXT decided to spend a day at one of the
registration centres to see what it takes to get registered ahead of
the April general elections. At Unit 8, located along Ekpan road, by
Ekpan General Hospital gate, Warri in Delta State, voters numbering
about 27 crowded around three small tables used by the officers at the
registration centre. To control the crowd, numbers are given to the
prospective voters who take turns to register.
While some of the people remained calm, waiting to
take their turn, others were restless, complaining of the slow process
of the exercise and the scorching sun they had to contend with.
Elizabeth Unugere, a community representative at the centre, told NEXT
that the exercise has been going on smoothly, except for some small
hitches.
“The computer and other machines used for the
registration get hot at times,” she said. “This slows down the process.
It will be better if INEC makes fans available to help cool the
machines down.” Mrs. Unugere disclosed that between 50 and 80 persons
are registered daily, depending on how the computer responds to their
operation. She however denied allegations by some of the prospective
voters that they experienced difficulties while having their fingers
scanned.
Must be registered
At a point, one of the prospective voters, who
refused to give her name, became restive as she held on to Mrs.
Unugere, insisting that she must be registered without fail. She
narrated her experience to get registered thus:
“I have been here for four days now, and I am yet
to be registered. I leave my work to queue here every day, hoping that
it will soon get to my turn. They gave me number 18 since four days
ago, but look at me now, they are still telling me to exercise
patience. I think I have run out of patience my brother. They must
register me today; I have other things to do.”
There were others who had also had complaints about the slow
process. But they hoped that it would get to their turn some time
before the expiration of the exercise. The six hours that NEXT waited
at Unit 8 registration centre to observe the process of getting
registered revealed so much. It showed that INEC still has a long way
to go if it is to deliver a credible election to Nigerians come April.
The politicians also have much to do to convince Nigerians that they
really deserve all the sacrifices Nigerians are making to get
registered, by giving back to the people dividends of democracy. The
voter registration ahead of the April general elections is scheduled to
run between Saturday, January 15 to Saturday, January 29. Many
concerned Nigerians, including governors, have however called for an
extension of the date by INEC to enable every eligible Nigerians to
register their names for the forthcoming elections.
The voter registration exercise going on all over
the country is one that every Nigerian must participate in if they want
to be able to vote for candidates of their choice during the next
general elections. It has, however, been observed that to get
registered at any of the centres is a herculean task as various
challenges have trailed the exercise, including difficulties in getting
fingertips scanned. At other centres, though, Direct Data Capturing
machines are yet to be available for the exercise. This has raised some
dust among politicians and prospective voters who have allegedly made
attempts to disenfranchise potential voters by political opponents.
NEXT decided to spend a day at one of the
registration centres to see what it takes to get registered ahead of
the April general elections. At Unit 8, located along Ekpan road, by
Ekpan General Hospital gate, Warri in Delta State, voters numbering
about 27 crowded around three small tables used by the officers at the
registration centre. To control the crowd, numbers are given to the
prospective voters who take turns to register.
While some of the people remained calm, waiting to
take their turn, others were restless, complaining of the slow process
of the exercise and the scorching sun they had to contend with.
Elizabeth Unugere, a community representative at the centre, told NEXT
that the exercise has been going on smoothly, except for some small
hitches.
“The computer and other machines used for the
registration get hot at times,” she said. “This slows down the process.
It will be better if INEC makes fans available to help cool the
machines down.” Mrs. Unugere disclosed that between 50 and 80 persons
are registered daily, depending on how the computer responds to their
operation. She however denied allegations by some of the prospective
voters that they experienced difficulties while having their fingers
scanned.
Must be registered
At a point, one of the prospective voters, who
refused to give her name, became restive as she held on to Mrs.
Unugere, insisting that she must be registered without fail. She
narrated her experience to get registered thus:
“I have been here for four days now, and I am yet
to be registered. I leave my work to queue here every day, hoping that
it will soon get to my turn. They gave me number 18 since four days
ago, but look at me now, they are still telling me to exercise
patience. I think I have run out of patience my brother. They must
register me today; I have other things to do.”
There were others who had also had complaints about the slow
process. But they hoped that it would get to their turn some time
before the expiration of the exercise. The six hours that NEXT waited
at Unit 8 registration centre to observe the process of getting
registered revealed so much. It showed that INEC still has a long way
to go if it is to deliver a credible election to Nigerians come April.
The politicians also have much to do to convince Nigerians that they
really deserve all the sacrifices Nigerians are making to get
registered, by giving back to the people dividends of democracy. The
voter registration ahead of the April general elections is scheduled to
run between Saturday, January 15 to Saturday, January 29. Many
concerned Nigerians, including governors, have however called for an
extension of the date by INEC to enable every eligible Nigerians to
register their names for the forthcoming elections.
