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Nigerian Electoral Body Distributes Voter Registration Materials

   Peter Clottey 04 January 2011
   People's Democratic Party (PDP)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

   Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP)

   An  official  of  Nigeriaâs  Independent National Electoral Commission
   (INEC)  said the electoral body has begun a nationwide distribution of
   materials  that  would  be  used  for  this monthâs voter registration
   process, which begins 15^th January.

   Nick  Dazan,  deputy  director  for  public  affairs,  also  expressed
   confidence  that the intensified training of its polling officers will
   ensure  the  electoral  body  produces a credible voter register to be
   used for the general elections.

   âThe commission has distributed direct data capture machines, that is,
   the  laptop  computers  and  peripherals that would be used to capture
   biometrics  and  photographs  of registrants that will eventually take
   place  in  the  elections  in  all the states of the federation,â said
   Dazan.

   âThe  same machines were used to train trainers who will train members
   of the National Youth Corps., who will now register prospective voters
   from the 15^th of January to the 29^th of January this year.â

   Nigeria will hold elections for president, parliament, and state level
   races  in  April. The commission and security agencies were criticized
   after  thieves  stole  computers  to  be used for the elections at the
   Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

   But,  Dazan  said  the  theft  will not negatively impact the upcoming
   voter registration exercise.

   âAt   the  time  the  theft  occurred,  the  machines  have  not  been
   configured. The software that is to be used for the voter registration
   exercise  has  not been configured into the laptop. And, the number of
   laptops  that were stolen was infinitesimal. Only about 20 were stolen
   and   15   were   recovered  and  the  security  agencies  immediately
   apprehended  those who stole the laptops and took them to court,â said
   Dazan.

   âWe  want  to  stress  that the theft does not, in any way, affect the
   registration exercise. But, the commission is not resting on its oars.
   It  is making sure that such an ugly situation does not repeat itself.
   And,  the  security  agencies  have  assured  us that they will secure
   them.â

   Both  local and international election observers say the last polls in
   2007 were marred by disorganization, intimidation and fraud.

   âThe  commission  has  worked on the prospect that a certain number of
   registrants  would  be  registered  over  a period of time and we were
   working  on  making  sure that that is done so that, by the end of the
   day,  about 70-million Nigerians would have been registered to vote in
   the 2011 general elections,â said Dazan.

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