The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will resume on Monday 28th June.
In order to ensure a successful rollout, the Commission said it has acquired all the required equipment and updated its registration software.
This announcement was disclosed by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at a press conference held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Prof. Yakubu revealed that a new registration machine called the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) will be used. The device, a tablet computer, will replace the laptop based old Direct Data Capture Machine (DDCM), which was used for the last CVR.
The INEC boss said the device was designed by INEC Engineers in-house but fabricated abroad.
“It is more efficient than the DDCM and could also be deployed for other activities, particularly the accreditation of voters during elections, “he affirmed.
Only Nigerians, 18 years and above and who had never registered are qualified to participate in the exercise. However, the exercise is also open to registered voters who: have had any problem during accreditation for any past election with either their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) or their fingerprints not being read by the Smart Card Reader (SCR); want to transfer their voting location from one place to another; want to correct issues with their data, such as misspelt names or dates of birth; and registered voters whose PVCs are lost or damaged.
In response to public demand for better service and repeated calls by stakeholders, Prof. Yakubu said the Commission would for the CVR, introduce a dedicated portal for online registration.
According to him, the idea is for intending registrants to commence the registration process online by filling the forms, uploading their pictures and required documents and making an appointment on the web portal for a date and time to visit an INEC State or Local Government office to give their fingerprints and complete the registration.
Besides, the INEC Chairman said registered voters can also carry out all other activities such as transfers, correction of personal details and replacement of damaged or defaced Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) online.
His words: “We hope that through this portal, we shall reduce overcrowding at our registration centres, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, make the registration processes generally easier, thereby giving Nigerians a pleasant electoral experience.
“The portal will go live in the early hours of Monday 28th June 2021. However, I must quickly reiterate that the online registration is a public service and therefore free of charge.
“There is no INEC-approved cybercafe, no online registration centre and no scratch card to be purchased for the exercise.
“All you need is a device, including your mobile phones that can connect to the internet. Citizens can complete the online pre-registration anywhere and at any time they choose. Just follow the simple but detailed step-by-step procedure on the portal and contact the INEC Help Desk where necessary. The details are on our website.”
Prof Yakubu also allayed the fears being expressed by some Nigerians that many citizens may be disenfranchised by the new digital arrangement. He said the Commission was aware that not all Nigerians have computers, smart phones, and access to the internet or reside in urban and sub-urban areas. He also acknowledged that some citizens might have one form of disability or another that could make it impossible for them to register online.
He said: “The Commission is also aware of its responsibility under the law to provide every eligible Nigerian the opportunity to register, irrespective of where they live or other circumstances of life.
“I wish to assure you that in addition to the online registration portal, there will be some 2,673 centres where citizens can register physically nationwide. Furthermore, the exercise will be carried out continuously over a period of at least one year thereby providing enough time for the Commission to reach all the nooks and crannies of the country. No eligible Nigerian will be disenfranchised.”
