Permanent voters’ card ready – INEC

SPURRED by the catalogue of criticisms
trailing  its 2015 elections time table, the Independent
National  Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday
revealed that permanent voters’ cards for 2015
general elections are ready and it would begin the
distribution of same for Osun and Ekiti gubernatorial elections from February 25. The commission explained the reasons the 2015
elections would be staggered and not held in one day
as earlier agreed with the political parties. The
commission also answered some of the questions
that trailed the faulty conduct of elections in the past
and the efforts it is making to ensure hitch free elections. In an interactive section with Editors yesterday in
Lagos, the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega
revealed that in line with constitutional provisions on
conduct of elections, the commission has scheduled
February 25 to March 12  to commence distribution of
permanent voters cards for Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections and March 12 to 17 for the
display of voters register for Osun governorship polls. Represented by Dr Chris Iyimoga, the INEC National
Commissioner and Chairman, Information and
Publicity Committee, Jega said permanent voters
cards for 2015 general elections are ready. INEC officials at work:… On why the polls would be staggered, he said holding
all the  elections in one day as earlier agreed will be
too tasking, coupled with the high level of illiteracy
among voters. “ We learnt lessons in the last general elections and
this time we hope to take another look at the structure
and processes involved. The key thing in any general
elections is to have a credible election. We are
committed to achieving the best and perfect voters’
register. We have gone through the biometrics since 2011 elections and we want to get it right. “The nationwide process for distribution of permanent
voters’ cards will commence as soon as all is ready
and the logistics and every detail is in place. We want
the permanent voters’ cards to be swiped by the card
reader to determine their authenticity so we would
avoid what we passed through in the past¼ and certaiaan parts of the Electoral Act which posed a
hinderance in 2011 would be reviewed by the National
Assembly by July 3rd this year,” he said. On the issue of security,  the INEC said it was putting
everything in place to control snatching of ballot
boxes and other forms of  electoral violence

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