Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has taken delivery of a greater portion of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) for eventual distribution in 2014, ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Prof. Attahiru Jega, INEC chairman, also revealed that the Commission was also working hard to perfect its election day logistics and concluded arrangement to deploy technology that will identify and authenticate voters on election-day.
Jega who was represented by Dr. Nuhu Yakubu, commissioner in the Commission at the workshop for INEC Information Personnel and Press Corps on Media and Communication Strategy, in Abuja, said, “as we count down to the next General election. In 2015, we are increasingly fine-tuning our work processes to ensure that we deliver elections that are free, fairer and more credible than we had in 2011.
“We have cleaned out the National Register of voters after full consolidation and running of Automated Finger-print Identification System (AFIS).
“Introduction of Smart-Card Technology to improve the accreditation of voters through rigorous voters identification and authentication process on election-day.
“The Commission has so far taken delivery of a greater portion of these smart Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) that we will begin issuing to registered voters from next year.
“We have concluded plans for the rollout of nation-wide continuous voters registration exercise, which will allow those not on the biometrics register at present to get captured.”
Jega further said added, “We are working very hard to perfect our processes for election day logistics, so that we can ensure timely commencement of voting in all polling units and seamless collation procedures.”
Jega however observed that “ensuring credible elections is not a one -way street. It is not the task of INEC alone; rather, it is a multiple-stakeholder endeavour that requires collaboration and diligent commitment of other role players in particular, the media and our information personnel in civic enlightenment, voter education and moulding public perception of the electoral process.”