Dear All:
INEC finally issues a statement about its wobbly start in this registration exercise..... promising boldly that "no single person of registrable age who turns out to register will be denied the right in the course of the present exercise".
We shall see....
Meanwhile, Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi has already asked for extension of time for registration, after taking a whole 30 minutes to register in his Isan home-town on Sunday...
Moving on...
In the time being, please keep them reports coming folks......and provide us with at least date, and your geographical coordinates.....
You can also leave a reply on:
Bolaji Aluko
PS: One wonders how many voters have been registered COUNTRY-WIDE at this end of the second day. Such a figure should be available on a daily basis, with proper coordination nation-wide.
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VANGUARD
The statement signed by the chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu reads:
"The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby allays the apprehension of Nigerians over whatever hitches might have been noticed in the commencement on Saturday, January 15, of the Voter Registration exercise nationwide.
"The Commission acknowledges the delayed deployment of Direct Data Capture machines in a few of the polling units across the country. It is also fully aware of glitches, which accounted for difficulties in the capture of fingerprints and, consequently, lengthy queues at some polling units.
"Nigerians should be reassured that these are initial problems which the Commission is looking into and hopes to redress as soon as possible.
"The Commission urges for patience, considering that today is just the first day of a 15_Day exercise. It also commends Nigerians for turning out in large numbers for the exercise and hereby reassures that no single person of registrable age who turns out to register will be denied the right in the course of the present exercise".
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VANGUARD
Ekiti seeks extension of time
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi called on the chairman of INEC, Dr Atahiru Jega to extend the period of the ongoing registration of voters, saying there was no way INEC could meet up with the registration of all eligible Nigerians considering the time and other technical problems being associated with Direct Data Captured, DDC, Machines
The governor was speaking while briefing newsmen after registering by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Isyaku Maigoro at unit 9, Ogilolo Street, ward 11 in Isan Ekiti , lamented the short period earmarked by the INEC to register prospective voters and the technical problems being witnessed at the various registration centres in the state
Fayemi, who spent over thirty minutes before completing the registration, urged the Commission to improve on the proficiencies of their officials to reduce the time being used to register a prospective voter
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VANGUARD
Complaints trail voters registration
News Jan 17, 2011 By BEN AGANDE, GEORGE ONAH, KOLADE LAREWAJU, VINCENT UJUMADU, SAMUEL OYADONGHA, SIMON EBEGBULEM, OLA AJAYI, CHIDI NKWOPARA, EMMA ARUBI, GBENGA ARIYIBI & ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH
ABUJA—IT was complaints galore from many eligible voters across states of the federation who went home disappointed, yesterday, when they could not be registered on the second day of the voters registration exercise due to technical problems of the Direct Data Capture Machines.
In Abeokuta, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, got a dose of the frustrations and disappointments of many Nigerians over the ongoing voter registration exercise as the Direct Data Capture, DDC, machines employed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, rejected his finger prints several times.
The former president waited patiently as a member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, at the centre tried severally to get his fingerprint registered while the Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Deacon Martins Okunfolami, and other INEC officials present made frantic efforts to get Obasanjo registered.
INEC Registers new voters at Uzoigwe Primary School Asaba Photos Nath Onojake
When the first DDC machine failed, the INEC team changed its scanner and used two different ones which also eventually faltered and the former President was ushered to another registration point nearby, where the machines also experienced similar malfunctioning.
When all hopes appeared dashed and the queue of eligible voters was swelling, the former president got up and signaled his intention to leave.
Obasanjo who had arrived his Ward 11 Ita_Eko, Abeokuta at about 11.53 a.m. accompanied by his wife; Bola, had to declare, after the long wait, that he would come back for the exercise as soon as he returned from an overseas trip.
See photos of the ongoing voters registration
He, however, cautioned Nigerians against castigating INEC over the shaky start of the exercise, saying it was normal for a new programme such as the DDC technology_driven voter registration to experience hiccups at initial stage.
But apparently sensing the implication of Obasanjo's failure to register, the INEC officials made several phone calls and pleaded with the former president to give them some more time to allow an expert come for the registration.
The expert arrived at about 12.45 p.m. and performed the registration. But it took about 20 minutes for the process to be completed.
Speaking with newsmen before the arrival of the expert Obasanjo said: "I want to say this to the press: whenever you are starting a new programme like this, it's likely to have hitches until everybody masters it. Today is the second day. I believe that by the middle of this week, both the people who are carrying out the registration, the technicians, the INEC at the highest level will be able to make this work smoothly. So, I don't believe that we should now start to castigate and to condemn.
If, of course, by the middle of the week it's not working as it should be, we will all see and then those who designed it would have to advise us how we go about it. But for now, I believe let's regard this as the hiccup of a new process.
David Mark disappointed
Attempts by President of the Senate Sen. David Mark to register for the general election in his ward I Otukpo, Benue State, was futile as equipment brought by the INEC did not function. The Senate president accompanied by his wife, Mrs Helen, arrived at the registration centre at 10 .00 am and waited in vain till 1.00 pm when he was advised to go home and return later.
At about 4.00 pm, Mark and his wife returned to the venue and made spirited efforts to register but the INEC machine disappointed. An embarrassed Senate president told INEC pointedly to put its house in order, stressing: "I have made spirited efforts to register to no avail. I went to the registration centre about 10.00 am. I waited for more than two hours and nobody could be registered. I returned at about 4.00 p.m yet nothing could be done.
Osoba tasks INEC on workforce
Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ogun State to give all the political parties in the state, the list of their personnel in each polling station to clear itself of the allegation that its workforce for the registration exercise was being sponsored by a political party.
Chief Osoba spoke at his Ago_Oba Ward in Abeokuta while undertaking his voters' registration in front of his family compound in the state capital.
He said: "There are many issues I still want to clear with INEC. For example, there is the allegation that its personnel are being sponsored by a political party. In the spirit of transparency, I want INEC to give the list of those working in each polling station to the political parties so that we can check the authenticity of the people.
"INEC must be transparent. The political parties would be able to check the authenticity of each individual. I am not saying that INEC should give the list to Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, but to all political parties."
No registration materials in Sagbama, Bayelsa State
Most citizens who thronged the voters' registration centres in the Sagbama council area, yesterday, went home disappointed due to the non availability of registration materials. An INEC staff who spoke anonymously told Vanguard that the situation was not limited to Sagbama alone blaming development on the shortfall in the number of DDC machines earlier sent to the state.
Our correspondent who was at Sagbama and its neighbouring communities that could be accessed by road observed a large turn out of natives many of whom were waiting patiently for the arrival of the machines.
One of the officials told Vanguard that they were expecting the machine to arrive later in the day as according to him, "most of the eligible natives are enthusiastic about the exercise and they have given us their word that would come back once the machine arrived."
Though the DDC machines were handy in most part of Yenagoa most of the eligible voters' who came out to register were frustrated as it took about 30 minutes to get an individual registered with the result that some who could stand the long wait left disappointed.
Slow pace in Port Harcourt
Scores of potential voters in Rivers State complained of the slow pace at which the exercise was being conducted.
Vanguard observed in some of the units that the National Youth Service Corps members had not mastered the operation of the Data Capturing Machines even as it took close to two hours for some of the machines to be switched on.
Also, on Sunday at between 9.30 a.m and 10 a.m, some of the corps members and INEC workers were seen in many parts of the city carrying the machines on their heads, begging and flagging down vehicles to help convey them to their units
Following the long queues and delays at the units the state governor, Chibuike Amaechi has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to "seriously consider the extension of date for the exercise."
Amaechi, made the appeal shortly after being registered in his home town, at Ward 8 Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area, during the flag off of the voters' registration exercise in the state.
Disappointment in Benin city
It was disappointment on the faces of voters in Edo State when they went out at the early hours of Saturday and Sunday, for the voter's registration exercise but it was sadly discovered in some areas that the machines meant for the exercise were not in good shape.
Vanguard observed that the NYSC members handling the exercise arrived the venue at about 3.00 pm but could do little or nothing as either the machines were not responding or that there was no power to power the generators. It was the same story in the three senatorial districts of the state.
People waited endlessly for the machines and several of them who could not wait went back to their homes.
Vanguard observed also that another problem that may mar the exercise was the problem of power to power the machines. Even when the exercise commended at about 3.00pm, power outage marred it because the generators brought by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were not functional.
Unimpressive take off in Ibadan
Following the not_too_impressive take_off of the registration of eligible voters in Oyo State, a former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has allayed the fears of people in the state saying the electoral body would
normalize things before the expiration of the exercise.
The exercise started on Saturday with many voters complaining about non-availability of many materials needed for the exercise. They waited endlessly at registration centres for the arrival of materials. Where materials were available, some officials complained that the machines were not compatible with each other and there was no way the exercise could continue.
As at yesterday, some voters around Obokun area, Eleyele_Sango road were still complaining that the exercise had not met the expected standard.
Confusion in Owerri
Two days into the voters registration exercise ordered by INEC, no single voter had successfully registered at the Emmanuel College, Owerri registration centre. Confusion and anger reigned supreme at the Emmanuel College, Owerri, and other voters' registration centres, following the complaints by INEC officials that the machines were dysfunctional.
While the INEC officials arrived the centre at 12.30pm, no single voter successfully registered as at 3.35 pm when Vanguard visited the centre.
Vanguard also gathered that the initial Data Capturing Machine, 16/25/06/008/009,010, originally given to the officials was mistakenly brought to Emmanuel College instead of the Timber Market registration centre.
Another visible problem was the delivery of just one machine, 15/25/06/001,002,003,004, instead four that would have served the four recognized units in the College.
Mild protests in Lagos
People of Aboru, in Agbado_ Oke_Odo local development council of Lagos state, have condemned the absence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials in the area for the on_going voters' register exercise.
At the beginning of the exercise on Saturday, no official of the commission was seen in the area, precipitating fear that the area may not record the expected success of the registration of voters register.
This development had led to mild protest from some youths who met with some community leaders, including Chief Victor Fagbemi and registered their grievances.
Speaking to Vanguard, one of the youths, Mr. Olalekan Raphael, who claimed to be a member of the ACN, insinuated that the absence of the officials on the first day of the exercise may be to disenfranchise the people of the area.
Ekiti seeks extension of time
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting called on the chairman of INEC, Dr Atahiru Jega to extend the period of the ongoing registration of voters, saying there was no way INEC could meet up with the registration of all eligible Nigerians considering the time and other technical problems being associated with Direct Data Captured, DDC, Machines
The governor was speaking while briefing newsmen after registering by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Isyaku Maigoro at unit 9, Ogilolo Street, ward 11 in Isan Ekiti , lamented the short period earmarked by the INEC to register prospective voters and the technical problems being witnessed at the various registration centres in the state
Fayemi, who spent over thirty minutes before completing the registration, urged the Commission to improve on the proficiencies of their officials to reduce the time being used to register a prospective voter
Warri without DDC machines
The largely riverine coastal constituency bordering the Atlantic ocean and parts of the oil city toured by a federal law maker was without the presence of INEC officials and DDC machines, yesterday.
The law maker said whenever the exercise commences, INEC must ensure that the mandatory 14_days slated for the exercise throughout the country be given to the people of his constituency also, adding that "prospective voters in the constituency are currently traumatised with strong fear of total or partial disenfrachisement.'
He said: "I am aghast as to why INEC has refused to effect commencement of voter's registration in Warri Federal constituency. Could this a ploy for an orchestrated end of ominous dimension against the prospective electorates of this constituency?"
Awka yet to commence registration
As at 12 noon, yesterday, many centers had not received the DDC machines in Awka, just as some members of the NYSC handling the exercise appear not to have mastered how to operate the machines.
In the commercial city of Onitsha, it was only at the Central Primary School (CPS) Odoakpu Onitsha that the registration had started as at 11 am, while other parts of the town were yet to receive the DDC machines.
Registration was also going on at Nkwo Ogbakuba in Ogbaru local government area where Vanguard observed that it took about 30 minutes to register a person.
INEC addresses technical challenges
Meanwhile INEC has taken concrete measures to eliminate the bottlenecks in the voter registration process which were noticed at the commencement of the exercise nationwide last Saturday. Already, the Commission is addressing the technical challenges that have hampered fingerprints capture and thereby slowed down the voter registration procedure in some polling units across the country.
INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega assured Nigerians that steps are being taken to rectify the observed lapses in the exercise, noting that 'no single person of registrable age who turns out to register will be denied the right in the course of the present exercise'.
There were long queues at some registration centres and the technical difficulties witnessed on the first day appear to have been resolved.
At some registration centres in Karu, Asokoro, Garki and Central Area visited by Vanguard, a cross section of prospective voters who spoke with Vanguard said the exercise was going on smoothly.
In a statement the national chairman of INEC, allayed fears the hitches observed on the first day of the election were being addressed.
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PUNCH
DDC machines reject Obasanjo's fingerprints
By Francis Falola and Oluwole Josiah
Monday, 17 Jan 2011
By Francis Falola and Oluwole Josiah
Monday, 17 Jan 2011
A mild drama occurred in Abeokuta on Sunday as former President Olusegun Obasanjo had a dose of the frustration many Nigerians face in getting registered for the April general elections.
He had arrived his Ward 11 Ita-Eko, Abeokuta at 11.53am, but ended not registering at the ward as his fingerprints were rejected several times by the Direct Data Capturing machine in use.
Before his arrival in company with his wife, Bola, people had patiently waited to be registered.
Our correspondent reported that when the DDC machine rejected Obasanjo's fingerprints, the Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr, Martins Okunfolami, and other INEC officials present made arrangement for another machine to be used.
When the second failed, the INEC officials, out of desperation, accompanied Obasanjo to another registration point in the ward. But at the point, the DDC machine malfunctioned.
When all hopes appeared dashed, the former President got up and tried to leave, saying he would come back on his return from the overseas trip.
But apparently sensing the implication of Obasanjo's failure to register, the INEC officials made telephone calls repeatedly while pleading with the former President to give them more time for an expert to come to the registration point.
The expert eventually arrived around 12.45pm and had Obasanjo registered 20 minutes after.
Speaking after, Obasanjo, who did not show any sign of annoyance, described the incident as the "hiccup of a new process."
He, therefore, cautioned Nigerians against castigating INEC over the shaky start of the exercise, saying it was normal for people to experience difficulty in handling a new programme such as the technology- driven voter registration.
He said, "Whenever you are starting a new programme like this, it's likely to have hitches until everybody masters it. Today (Sunday) is the second day. I believe that by the middle of this week, both the people who are carrying out the registration, the technicians and INEC at the highest level will be able to make this work smoothly.
"So, I don't believe that we should now start to castigate and to condemn. If, of course, by the middle of the week it's not working as it should be, we will all see and then those who designed it would have to advise us how we go about it.
"But for now, let's regard this as the hiccup of a new process."
Reacting to journalists' question on the possibility of extending the voter registration, the former President maintained that it was too early for anybody to start thinking of such.
Obasanjo said, "No, it is too early; that's why I said by the middle of this week, whereby three or four days would have gone, then those who are there would know that anything that you do for 14 days, and four days have gone you and haven't done one-quarter, then it requires some form of rethinking.
"Let us not prejudge them, let's give them time to think and rethink if rethinking is necessary."
Obasanjo's experience, however, appears better than that of the President of the Senate, David Mark, who was not able to register after spending more than two hours at ward I Otukpo, Benue State.
Mark had gone to a registration centre in the ward at 10 am on Sunday with his wife, Helen, but was advised by INEC officials, who said they were having problems with the DDC machine attached to them, to go home and return later.
When he returned to the cente at 4pm, he made efforts to be registered but the machine still did not work.
Disappointed by the development, Mark advised INEC to put its house in order to make the voter registration a success.
He said, "I have made spirited efforts to register to no avail. I went to the registration centre about 10am. I waited for more than two hours and nobody could be registered. I returned at about 4pm yet nothing could be done.
"INEC must put its house in order, otherwise this whole exercise would be in jeopardy. We cannot afford anything that would threaten the conduct of the forthcoming elections. INEC must sit up and save us this embarrassment."
The President of the Senate added that reports reaching him indicated that the DDC machines were not functioning.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Benue, Alh. Nasiru Ailara, later visited Mark in his residence to appeal to him for his understanding.
"We have identified the problem, and provided a solution with a new software that would address the problem. Please accept our apology for the inconveniences," Ailara said.
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PUNCH
Faulty DDCMs, inadequate manpower hamper exercise
By Adelani Adepegba
Monday, 17 Jan 2011
The ongoing voter registration exercise in Abuja was being hampered by the slow response of the Direct Data Capture machine and inadequate manpower, according to findings by our correspondent on Saturday and Sunday.
By Adelani Adepegba
Monday, 17 Jan 2011
The ongoing voter registration exercise in Abuja was being hampered by the slow response of the Direct Data Capture machine and inadequate manpower, according to findings by our correspondent on Saturday and Sunday.
Though the turn out of potential voters was impressive, the electoral officials could not register many on account of the poor performance of the machine.
At the UBE Primary School, 3rd Avenue, Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja, only 55 persons, out of 646, had been registered as at 3 pm when our correspondent visited the centre.
A woman who declined to give her name because she was a civil servant, said there among the people to register but that the machines had not performed up to expectation.
She wondered how civil servants like her would have the time to register during week days if they could not do so on weekends.
The female youth corps member in charge of the DDC machine complained that the machine's response to command was slow.
The Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, FCT chapter, Mr. Aliyu Musa, said that he had toured a number of centres, noting that he was not impressed with the poor performance of the DDC machines and the absence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission at the registration centres.
He said, "From my observations, Nigerians are willing to register, but the slow performance of the machine was frustrating their enthusiasm. At the Setraco centre, the Federal Clinic there refused to allow intending voters to register as they said that they were not informed that a registration centre would be sited there.
"In Gwarimpa, we have only four centres which are not adequate to cater for the huge population. Besides, corpers should not be allowed to work alone; they need more manpower and machines to cater for the number of people willing to register. I have visited about four centres, but I did not see any INEC official monitoring the process; this is
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LEADERSHIP
Voter Registration Begins On Wobbly Note .Sunday, 16 January 2011 00:27 Chika Otuchikere, Abuja .
Voter registration, which kicked off yesterday across the nation, may have begun on a not-too-pleasant note. Reports filtering in from the various states indicate that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, may not have got its act together before embarking on the project.
INEC had given assurance to Nigerians that it was fully prepared and that the exercise was going to be smooth. However, as at press time, feellers from the states showed that INEC may well be far from being ready for the exercise.
The complaints already trailing the one-day-old project include the unavailability of the Direct Data Capture (DCC) machine in some places and, in other places where the machine was available, there were complaints that the INEC officials handling the machines couldn't operate them.
The issue of incompetence in handling the machine, reports affirm, resulted in the INEC officials wasting so much time in order to register even one person. This has created speculation that, going at the rate they began, the INEC may need as long as three months to complete the registration before the commencement of the general elections in April.
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Independent
LAST UPDATED AT Sun Jan, 16 2011
More problems trail voter registration
•Fake corps members arrested in Ibadan •CNPP condemns Jega's trip to Jonathan's village •Obasanjo, Ladoja
plead for patience, understanding
By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Joe Nwankwo (Abuja), Onche Odeh (Lagos), Augustine Madu-West (Kano), Oladele Ogunsola (Ibadan), Segun Adeleye (Abeokuta) and Patience Ogbodo (Bauchi)
A crowd at a voter registration centre in Oshodi, Lagos ... at the weekend. Photo: Kunle Ajayi.
Senate President David Mark could not register to vote in his ward in Otukpo I in Benue State on Sunday as the equipment brought by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not function.
It highlighted the constraints and the frustration of INEC officials and intending voters alike, but former President Olusegun Obasanjo counselled patience in Abeokuta, likewise former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja.
Ladoja made his plea in Ibadan, despite the discovery in Oyo State of two fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posing as INEC registration officials.
They were apprehended in Odo-Ona Elewe by security operatives.
Nonetheless, the registration which began on a shaky note on Saturday in Ibadan, seemed to have gathered steam on Sunday, with a fair turn out of prospective voters after church service.
Former member of House of Representatives member, Adebola Alli, expressed satisfaction with the exercise, saying the improvement showed signs of hope that it would get better as the days go by.
Problems continued elsewhere, though.
After two attempts, Mark and his wife, Helen, could not register in Otukpo, where they first arrived at his ward at 10 a.m. and waited in vain till 1 p.m. before they were advised to go home and return later.
He and Hellen came back at about 4 p.m. but were frustrated by the failure of the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machine to function.
Mark issued a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, which told the INEC "to put its house in order if the exercise is to be successful.
"I have made spirited efforts to register to no avail. I went to the registration centre about 10 a.m. I waited for more than two hours and nobody could be registered. I returned at about 4 p.m. yet nothing could be done.
"INEC must put it's house in order otherwise this whole exercise would be in jeopardy. We cannot afford anything that would threaten the conduct of the forth coming elections. The INEC must sit up and save us this embarrassment."
Later in the evening, Benue Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Nasiru Ailara, went to Mark in Otukpo and promised that the problem would be rectified today.
There were no DDC machines in three councils in Bauchi, a state where there was also a low turn out of women.
Nonetheless, the exercise was peaceful on Sunday, and most of those who queued to register expressed satisfaction with the way it was done.
Governor Isa Yuguda registered at the Baba Sidi Primary School, Bauchi.
State REC Iliya Audu disclosed, however, that the non-arrival of DDC machines affected the exercise in Kirfi, Shira, and Gamawa Councils.
A low turn out was equally recorded in Kano, coupled with the failure of DDC machines to function properly in nearly all the 44 councils in the state.
The harmattan weather forced most people to stay indoors, especially in the rural communities.
The Chairman of Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Yahaya Kanam, asked the INEC to extend the registration period.
The hiccups across the country surfaced in parts of Lagos, where many people were denied participation because of power failure.
In most registration centres in the Oregun area, the batteries in the computer laptops used for the exercise ran out.
Frustration was all over INEC officials and support staff, who idled away.
There was no other source of power as the residents had been in public power black out for most of the day.
INEC officials confirmed that they had registered only about 20 people by 4 p.m.
"We use the laptop to take basic information of people, but the batteries could hardly last two hours and there is usually no public power supply," one said.
Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) Spokesman, Osita Okechukwu, reacted by expressing outrage that INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega could visit President Goodluck Jonathan's village, Otuoke, in Bayelsa to do "cult worship" when Nigerians want him to get on with his job and find solutions to the widespread hitches.
Okechukwu urged Jega "to wake up, abandon the ignoble cult followership, which converted former INEC Chairmen into the puppets of (Obasanjo), and be on top of his duty post as an impartial umpire."
In his own take, however, Obasanjo counselled Nigerians not to castigate the poor start of the voter registration.
As did Ogun State Deputy Governor, Salmot Badru, he urged the public to be patient and to bear with the INEC until the registration becomes smooth.
Badru – who spoke while returning from Tube ward in Ipokia, Abeokuta, where she had gone to register before taking time out to visit Obasanjo – said the registration took her 45 minutes.
Obasanjo had initial difficulty in registering at ward 15 opposite his home in Ita-Eko, but enthused that the jerky process would be surmounted this week.
Said he: "I want to say this to the press: whenever you are starting a new programme like this, it's likely to have hitches until everybody masters it; today is the second day.
"I believe that by the middle of this week, both the people who are carrying out the registration, the technicians, and the INEC at the highest level, will be able to make this work smoothly."
Obasanjo argued that it is too early to ask the INEC to extend the registration period, as canvassed on Saturday by former Governor Olusegun Osoba.
"And let us not prejudge the INEC let's give it time to think and rethink, if rethinking is necessary."
In Ibadan, Ladoja also pleaded for patience with the INEC even though the registration in Oyo State is bogged down by logistics, late arrival of personnel, and malfunctioning Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machines.
Ladoja registered at a ward near his home on Ondo Street, Bodija, where he told journalists that it is too early to rate the INEC, and advised that it should be given more time to get its act right.
He acknowledged the hitches across the state, but expressed optimism that they would be corrected as time goes on, stressing that with 34 people registered by 2.30 p.m. in his ward, there is the hope the exercise would end well.
Ladoja and his wife, Mutiat, registered at the same ward, accompanied by aides and party faithful.
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THE NATION
Hitches as voter registration begins nationwide
Font size: Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa, Jide Babalola, Assistant Editor, Abuja, Damisi Ojo, Ado-Ekiti, Miriam Ndikanwu, Tajudeen Adebanjo and Oluwakemi Dauda Lagos, Jide Orintunsin and Justina Asishana, Minna, Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos, Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta, Soji Adeniyi, 16/01/2011 00:48:00
voter registration exercise embarked upon by the Independent Electoral National Commission (INEC) kicked off nationwide Saturday with hitches in some parts of the country.
BAYELSA President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Patience and mother, registered at Otueke, the president's country home, in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State.
President Jonathan who arrived Otueke by helicopter with his wife and aides about 2.15pm was received by Governor Timpre Sylva and his Rivers State counterpart, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who had earlier monitored some of the voter registration centres in Yenagoa.
The president urged Nigerians to come out and register to enable them vote in the April elections.
Prof. Jega, who later addressed journalists, expressed optimism that the exercise took off on a successful note, saying that of the 120,000 registration units nation wide, the commission had only deployed materials to 98, 000 units.
He was however quick to admit that some initial challenges were expected, saying that this would be addressed before the end of the 15 days exercise.
"There may be many challenges being faced by the exercise, there is no doubt about it. But we will work extra hard to resolve the problems", Jega assured, adding: "If we recall, in 2006, on the day of the registration, there were not up to 2, 000 direct capture machines deployed on the day that registration commenced."
The fact that there may be hitches, the INEC boss said, was not enough to say the exercise has failed.
FCT Anger, frustration and disappointment were routinely expressed by potential voters and registration officials as technical hitches in some of the multibillion Naira Direct Data Capture machines (DDCMs) turned the first day of registration into a cumbersome affair in many parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
None of the nine registration units visited by The Nation within Abuja metropolis around two o'clock yesterday had registered more than five persons and instead of the six minutes projected by INEC for the registration of each person, it was taking more than three minutes to capture the imprint of each of the ten fingers.
Several corps members working as ad-hoc staff for the INEC told reporters that they arrived late at their various registration units while the scanners given to them consistently failed to work smoothly, thereby holding up the process of taking finger imprints.
When contacted over the hitches caused by the malfunctioning scanner in one of the registration units in Maitama area, the Director of Public Affairs at INEC, Mr. Emmanuel Umenger stated that the had called people in INEC's ICT department but another scanner they brought to the registration unit did not work.
Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ade Abolurin addressed a crowd of angry people at a registration centre in Mpape and urged them to bear with registration officials, adding that he will make appropriate recommendations and send his observations to the appropriate quarters.
LAGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) was yesterday registered at ward 3G, in State Senior Grammar School, Surulere, and appealed to residents to cooperate with INEC officials in order to ensure a smooth process.
The governor spoke to journalists shortly after registering alongside his wife, Dame Abimbola, even as some residents complained about the slow pace of the process.
Governor Fashola while stressing the importance of the exercise said it provides Nigerians opportunity to rightfully decide those who will spearhead their affairs.
He said, "this exercise is important because it now gives me the choice to take my own destiny in my own hands to vote for people who will make choices on my behalf at the local government, State and National Assembly and also for myself because I am a candidate and it will also help me choose the best president that I can trust to look after my affairs and that of my family."
Commenting on the development so far, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Ademola Ogumola, who said a total of 8,465 DDC machines have been deployed for the exercise, said the turnout was quite impressive.
While commenting on the exercise, the chairman of Oshodi- Isolo Local Government, Mr. Afeez Ipesa-Balogun, said it took over two hours to complete his registration with INEC officials, saying that it was a pity that many residents could not be registered yesterday.
Investigation by our correspondent further revealed that many Lagosians who thronged the registration units in the metropolis and its environs could not register due to the shoddy preparation of INEC, as most of them left disappointed.
Some of the areas monitored by The Nation include Lagos Island; Eti-Osa; Surulere; Alimosho and Ojo; residents lamented their long wait at the centres without being able to register.
At Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area, Lagos State Commissioner for Water Front Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru and the council boss, Prince Muideen Daramola appealed to people who thronged Victoria Island Secondary School and Government Senior College to be patient with the ad-hoc staff who were mainly youth corpers.
As at 12 noon, The INEC Registration Area Centre Officer (RACO) at Victoria Island Secondary School, Mrs. Clara Dada told Prince Oniru and Prince Daramola that the machines were not charged, stating that it will take four hours to charge them before registration could commence.
At Government Senior College, INEC RACO, Babajide Danmole complained about lack of fuel and engine oil to power the generating set and wire for connection.
Daramola however said it was not surprising that a few hitches marred the first day of the exercise, even as he assured that things would be sorted out as the exercise progressed.
"People are so enthusiastic. They have shown that the future of the country is in their hands. We hope this morale will be sustained," he noted.
Investigation by The Nation showed that the scanning and thumb machines were faulty.
Some of the machines were later returned while council officials offered to provide alternative scanning machines for smooth running of the exercise.
While commenting on the exercise, a member of Federal House of Representatives, Hon Jumoke Okoya-Thomas lamented the slow pace of work at St. Joseph School, Olowogbowo.
EKITI In Ekiti State the exercise did not kick off smoothly yesterday due to late arrival of the DDCM, and INEC officials at all the designated centres.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State, Alhaji Isyaku Maigoro, while addressing journalists at the commission's headquarters in the state capital, said he had been under intense pressure from the recruited youth corps members who wanted adjustment of their postings.
The REC who disclosed that his office in Ado Ekiti had received about 1,976 Direct Data Capture (DDC) Machines from INEC office in Abuja out of the 2,360 expected, said he was still expecting about 384 machines.
ONDO Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko who flagged off the exercise with his wife, Olukemi, registered at Ondo town.
Mimiko who was registered at exactly 9.20am by the Administrative Secretary INEC, Mr. Samson Awujoola at the Lodasa/Iparuku/Lijoka Registration Unit in the ancient town was presented with his voter's card with No: PU 28/16/07/020 by Awujoola.
Speaking after the exercise, the governor commended the permanent and adhoc staff of INEC for their punctuality, and enjoined them to replicate this at other units across the State while the exercise lasted.
KWARA Kwara State Governor, Dr Bukola Saraki yesterday called on Nigerians to support INEC in the first leg of the country's electoral process by ensuring that they participate in the on-going voter registration exercise.
The governor made the call during his registration at Opobiyi ward in Agbaji quarters, Ilorin to kick start the voter registration exercise in the state.
He enjoined every patriotic Nigerian citizen to make the voter registration exercise his priority, saying that obtaining a voter's card should not be the responsibility of politicians alone.
According to him, "to have a credible election in the country, we must commence with the process of voter registration and that is what INEC is doing right now across the country."
NIGER Following the slow pace of the exercise in Niger State, Governor Mu'azu Aliyu, who is also the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum (NGF), has called for two weeks extension, to enable every Nigerian participate in the process. Speaking to newsmen after flagging off the exercise in Musa Umar Polling station in Minna, the state capital, the governor expressed fear that the allotted two weeks for the exercise would be grossly inadequate to capture all eligible voters, hence the call for an extension of the exercise.
The governor who arrived at the polling station with his wife, Hajiya Jumai Babangida Aliyu, some members of the state executive council and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, Emmanuel Onucheyo spent about 15 minutes to complete the formalities required for the exercise.
The governor also in a state broadcast called on all eligible voters in the state to participate in the registration exercise, stressing that the exercise was a tool for revolutionary change in governance. "The voter's card is the citizen's visa to participate in governance. Without it, we will remain only spectators and by-standers, while others continue to decide our fate according to their whims and caprices. We must, hence, come out in large numbers to be registered during the voters registration exercise", he stressed.
OSUN In Osun, it was complaints galore in the 30 local governments across the state.
In Odeomu ward 5 comprising 17 units there were complaints that machines' printers were not responding fast and consequently made the people to stay longer than necessary for the exercise.
Mr. Banji Adeyemi, an aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Irewole, Ayedade and Isokan federal constituency, lamented that with the problems recorded during the exercise a lot of people would be disenfranchised.
Further investigations carried out by our correspondent revealed that some of the machines supplied were malfunctioning.
Some complained about the printers of the machines not working, the back-up batteries not good, most scanners could not take the finger prints or were not working at all.
The Action Congress of Nigeria alleged that in many council areas like, Iwo, Ifedayo, Ilesa East, Ife Central and many more, the members of the Peoples Democratic Party and Electoral Officers in an attempt to manipulate the process tried to convince people to register and come back later for their cards because of the malfunctioning of the printers.
In some places generators were made available by community leaders to ensure that the exercise did not fail.
For instance, in Iree in Boripe Local Government of the state, a Peoples Democratic Party's candidate, representing Ifelodun, Boripe and Odo-Otin federal constituency, Rev. Tunde Kajogbola, provided generators and stabilizers for the operation of some of the machines in his constituency.
Materials and machines were said to have arrived mid-day in all the seven wards of Boripe Local Government. It was gathered that only three out 16 machines brought to the council areas were working.
At least three of them were said to have been apprehended and handed to the police while the rest ran away.
An unfortunate incident was recorded in Atakumosa East Local Government where a vehicle conveying materials meant for wards 7 and 8 had a ghastly accident.
The materials, which include direct data capturing machines, had to be returned to Osu, the headquarters of Atakumosa East Local Government, making it impossible to register eligible voters yesterday.
OGUN It was all tales of anguish and frustration as thousands of Ogun residents encountered one hitch after another in a bid to perform their civic duty to register for this year's general elections.
While Governor Gbenga Daniel managed to have his biographic data as well as finger prints captured by DDC at ward 12 on Isote, Sagamu, in his home town, former Governor Olusegun Osoba had a hectic time registering in the morning at Ago-Oba in Abeokuta South Local Government Council of Ogun state.
Former Minister of Mines and Steel, Alhaji Tunji Ishola Sarafa also registered at Mokola, in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state.
Action Congress of Nigeria flag bearer in the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, registered by noon in Abeokuta north and urged citizens to participate fully in the exercise to enhance their chances of voting the right people into office.
The experience of Ikenne residents was more pathetic as the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines curiously rejected the fingers prints of many of the people aged 60 and above. Chief Segun Osoba who fielded questions from journalists, suggested that if it is necessary, there might be the need for extension of time following the challenges so far identified in the exercise.
PLATEAU Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang and his wife registered at one of the centres at Du in Jos South Local Government Area, where he appealed to citizens to come out en masse to register.
However, in Jos North local government area of the state registration could not commence on schedule due to disagreement between members of the NYSC and the Hausa Community in Jos North local government.
The conflict between members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and their host community in Jos North started when the corpers who came out early enough for the exercise found strange names on the notice board.
The Nation gathered that the youth corps members were told by the Hausas that they were replaced by youths of the area to conduct the registration for voters as a way of safeguarding the lives of the corpers.
The youth corps members however did not buy the dummy, threatening that they would disrupt the exercise if they were not allowed to do the job for which they had already being trained by the Federal Government.
One of the NYSC members, Richard Umana, who spoke with The Nation said they were recruited for the exercise and had undergone the three-day training required and that the authorities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state even prevented them from traveling for the Christmas and New Year to enable them complete the training.
"Now after going through all these stress we are now been told that our names have been replaced without genuine reason, they say it's for our safety, to me that is rubbish, we can't accept that", Umana said.
The youth corpers who later led a peaceful protest march to Government House in Jos, the state capital, were addressed by the Plateau State Resident Electoral Commissioner Mr. Habu Zarma.
The resident INEC commissioner who pleaded with the protesting corpers to go back to their secretariat said, "It is true that INEC agreed to make use of corpers for the success of the exercise, there will be no reason why you should be replaced, we can only add secondary school students to join you if more hands are needed. But there is no complain of shortage of corpers in Jos North, talk less of replacing you with anyone else. I have heard you, I am going to ask the electoral officer in charge of Jos North to give the original lists of corpers trained for the exercise and by Monday every one will see his or her name on the notice board."
Apart from some parts of Jos North, the exercise went as scheduled in most parts of the state.
IMO In Owerri, Imo state capital, the exercise also suffered hitches as hundreds of youth corps members scheduled to conduct the exercise staged a protest at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The NYSC members were protesting against the removal of many of them from the list of the personnel billed to conduct the exercise by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Selina Oko. The corpers had already been selected for the programme and trained for it.
They also alleged that the commissioner failed to release the money they were supposed to collect after participating in a three-day workshop held for people who were to conduct the exercise.
The protesters barricaded the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road office of the commission, prompting the INEC commissioner to invite the police to protect the office and safeguard the data capturing machines.
The situation caused panic among pedestrians and motorists as anti-riot police men took control of the area, firing teargas canisters to scare away the protesting corpers, and arresting a number of them.
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Sunday January 16, 2011 - Day Two
In Ado-Ekiti........
I got to Registration Centre - unit 16, ward 9,Ajitadidun Estate at 1pm. About persons came for the exercise. At about 2.10pm, the chairman of Ado LGA came to the centre to take report of the state of activity and left for other centre. By the time registration was stopped at 4.50 p.m, only 6 people were successfully registered and only 3 got their cards.
The system application, configuration and accessories are noted to be inadequate, incompatible and sub standard.
The total market value in naira value is estimated at less than N100,000 contrary to INEC estimate of over $1500 per unit.
At the rate things are going, the exercise would fail, if manual registration does not commence now. Many people will be disenfranchised.
The system application, configuration and accessories are noted to be inadequate, incompatible and sub standard.
The total market value in naira value is estimated at less than N100,000 contrary to INEC estimate of over $1500 per unit.
At the rate things are going, the exercise would fail, if manual registration does not commence now. Many people will be disenfranchised.
Jadesola.....
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Sunday January 16, 2011
In Lagos.....
Prof:
In my neighborhood, the few centers I saw at close quarters seem to be working.
I would have registered today but because I plan to go and do it in Ekiti I
stayed back since the rule says I can't register in Lagos and Ekiti if I
interpret it right.
I would have registered today but because I plan to go and do it in Ekiti I
stayed back since the rule says I can't register in Lagos and Ekiti if I
interpret it right.
Seye
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Sunday January 16, 2011
In Oyo State....
Prof:
A friend who just registered in Ogo Oluwa Local Government in Oyo state said the Biometrics took him less than two minutes.He however said that the registration officials have not been able to capture the fingerprints of up to three local people all days because their fingers are mostly numb from tedious farming:
"These machines were designed for oyinbo fingers and not those of peasants in Nigeria".
I just brought this to the attention of a senior INEC official who said they would look into this.
Yinka.
__________________-
Sunday January 16, 2011
In Lagos......
Registration Update:
I got to the registration centre close to my residence at college road in Ifako Ijaiye local govt area, Lagos exactly 10.30am and I just return back home by 3.45pm highly frustrated as only two persons have been able to successfully register today. Even the scanning machine has now stop working and all efforts by the poor corper to reach his supervisor proved abortive. If we go at this speed, there is no way INEC would be able to register all eligible voters within the specified 2weeks duration. Reports from other centres unfortunately is the same and it's like the enthusiasm and hope of people towards the forthcoming election is already shaking.
If no public holiday is announced, workers would have only weekends to register and i need to be enlighten on how majority of Nigerians would not be deprived of the opportunity to perform their civic responsibility. I think INEC chairman should urgently take steps now to address the present epileptic registration before the whole exercise gets out of hand.
S. K.
_________________
Saturday January 15, 2011 - Day One
Sir,
Reports coming in are indeed sad,Thousands were in the sun for hours as Corpers trainees could not operate DDcMachine.
Many went back home frustrated,i hope they will register.
I registered as no 2 in my area as i went early.
S. O.
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Sunday, January 16, 2011
THE TIDE
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC ) may not be able to register the expected 70 millions adults Nigerians for the April general elections if flops experienced in the on going registration exercise is not corrected and check.
As at Sunday,the second day of the exercise,no units Rivers state have been able to register 15 persons,thereby making it impossible to meet up the 15 days deadline of the exercise.
Some units were yet to register one person,despite the impressive turnout of persons at various units and areas for the exercise.
The challanges been face includes Substandard equipment,thumbprint scanner,Printer problem,power source and inefficiency on the part of the adhoc staff of the INEC.
At Rumuwoji hall,ward 11,Port Harcourt Local government Area,the problem was associated with power,printer, thumbprint scanner.Some units could not register one person at as 12 noon on sunday.
The Tide also gathered that some of the adhoc staff are not ICT compliance and were trained for only 3 days for the exercise.
The exercise which witnessed alarge turnout in all the units turn out dissappointing to Nigerians who left their business and other engagement to be registered.
The police and Nigerian Road Safety officials leave up to their responsibility and cooperations with the INEC as they were in all units and centres to beef up security.
The chairman of INEC,Prof.Athiru jega on saturday admitted that there were some lapses in the exercise.
Jega who was in Otuoke,Bayelsa state for the Registration exercise of President Goodluck Jonathan reassured Nigerians that the commission was up to the task.
Although the registration of the President and his family did not present any hitch,Jega'smonitored of the exercise at the state capital however showed that there were difficulties with take off of the exercise.
He said they have beenchallenges of men and complains of the slow nature of finger printing process,it is likely that the scanner needs to be adjusted.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 2:09 PM, Mobolaji ALUKO <alukome@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear All:Today is January 15, 2011, the first day of the make-or-break VOTERS REGISTRATION of INEC:
I would have expected that all the registration sites will be well-known now - on the pages of the newapers, available to the political parties, on INEC's website, etc.So how has it gone today, everybody? Did any one take advantage of registering on this first day?Inquiring minds want to know.Bolaji AlukoYet to register
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