NIMC Expresses Readiness for e-Voting

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), yesterday, declared that the commission was ready for an electronic voting system if approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant legislation.

The commission said the current National Identity Card has an inbuilt platform to accommodate electronic voting and make its take-off in the country a huge success.

Mr. Stephen Inokoba, Bayelsa State Coordinator, NIMC spoke in Yenagoa when he led a team of the commission to present the card to Mr. Desmond Agu, state’s Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in his office.

Inokoba explained that the provision for electronic voting was one of the 13 security features embedded in the new card.

He said once the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other policy-makers opt for electronic voting, the card will be an effective launching pad for a smooth system.

He said: “The card has been fashioned in such a way that it can be used for electronic voting. Once Nigeria is set for that we have the platform already for electronic voting to commence.

“We are ready. The platform is on. It is left to INEC and the policy-makers. Once they do what they ought to do, our platform is already there, it has been developed”.

Agu, who was elated at some of the card’s benefits, hailed the Federal Government for the initiative and appealed to people of the state to obtain theirs.

He said the government was working hard to open a chapter of easier and better living for citizens describing the card as a testimony of the government’s good intentions for the country.

“Initially it sounded like a mirage but you can see that it is true. I have completed the process and obtained my card.

“With what I have seen, the Federal Government has good plans for all the citizens. So, let’s take advantage of this initiative to better our lives”, he said.

He appealed to the people of Bayelsa and employees of the NSCDC to quickly commence the process of getting their cards to enjoy all their benefits.

“There are many privileges attached to the cards. These are the things obtainable in advanced countries where you can use similar cards to enjoy subsidies in services offered by the government”, he said.

Highlighting some of the benefits of the cards, Inokoba added: “When you have the card, there are 13 benefits that you will get. The first one is you have an opportunity if getting a card to yourself alone through the Match-On-Card (MOC).

“It means that the card will not be given to somebody that it doesn’t belong to. You name will be matched with your fingerprints. So, there is not card by proxy.

“Over 80 per cent of Nigerians are unbanked based on figures we got from the Central Bank of Nigeria, but by the time you register for this card, you will also have a financial transaction with a particular bank in Nigeria. You can deposit and withdraw money from the bank”.

Inokoba noted that through a feature of the International Civil Aviation (ICAO), the card could be used to travel within the West African region without international or ECOWAS passports.