The recent testing of the card reader device introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve the integrity of the voting process in the coming elections has been generating controversy across the country.
The anxiety over the effectiveness of the electronic device is not totally unexpected, considering the fact that it is to be used for elections in the country for the very first time.
Although views appear sharply divided along party lines on the desirability or otherwise of the machines for the elections, we must not forget that the innovation is being introduced to improve the credibility of the elections.
The lasting benefit of the card reader is its ability to detect fake cards not issued by the rightful authority and to identify the persons who bring PVCs to the polling stations as the rightful owners of the voting instruments. With these, the chances of impersonation and the use of fake cards will be greatly reduced.
But, the recent testing of the device in parts of the country raised several concerns. The first is that the electoral agency left the arrangements for the tests rather late. The result is that the testing, which should actually have been done before the earlier February 14 date for the presidential, recorded hitches in many parts of the country.
There problems with the machines included non-verification of fingerprints even after the authentication of PVCs; slow accreditation as a result of poor internet server operations and inadequate knowledge of the operation of the machines by INEC staff.
These complaints, coming so close to the commencement of the elections, show that INEC needs to move fast to address the problems, to reassure the electorate that the card readers will facilitate and improve the credibility of the polls, and not mar them.
The agency must address all the shortcomings that came up during the test sessions and ensure that they are not repeated during the actual voting process.
There is also need for more public enlightenment campaigns on the new device, its benefits and operation, to educate potential voters on how they can use it successfully and gain their confidence.
Adequate testing of all the machines to be deployed is also imperative. Although the elections are just about eight days away, the most must be made of the time left. The priorities should be to intensity the much needed voter education and to perfect preparations for the use of the card reader.
It is heartening that INEC has decided to carry out further and repeat tests in states where the device did not perform optimally. The efforts to reassure those who doubt the desirability and efficacy of the device should not be relaxed. They should be continued right through to the elections.
It is good, also, that the electoral agency has made contingency plan by way of the “Incidence Form” to be filled in case the device, despite all else, fails. In this case, if the PVC passes through the card reader successfully but fails to capture the fingerprint, the intending voter would be allowed to exercise his right upon filling the form. That way the integrity of the electoral process would be secured and the voter is not denied his duty to choose the candidate of his choice.
The coming elections are too important for the present and future of our country to trifle with. INEC and all the other stakeholders in these elections cannot afford to fail. This is why the political parties, especially, should stop their unprofitable hate campaigns and cooperate with INEC to ensure that the elections are successful.
Instead of trying to scuttle the polls with unfruitful protests, we think they owe themselves and their candidates the duty of ensuring adequate voter education on the electoral process to improve their chances at the polls. More importantly, they owe Nigerians the obligation to reduce the overarching tension in the country to improve the prospects for free, fair and credible elections.
