Maduako Igbokwe l Friday, October 15, 2021
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that it would use bimodal voter authentication for accreditation and voting in the Anambra state November governorship election.
Bimodal is a technology that will authentic the finger print and physical appearance of the voter in the register . This was disclosed by the chairman of INEC of Professor Mahmood Yakubu at a Workshop the commission organised for Journalists on Election Processes and Procedures for the 2021 Anambra election, held in Awka, Anambra state.
Mahmood Yakubu represented by Director, Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Mr. Victor Aluko, expressed the commission’s readiness to deliver on the mandate with the introduction of new technological advancement towards ensuring conduct of a free, fair and credible November 6th Governorship election.
The INEC chairman said the deployment of hi-tech for the election was part of the commission’s efforts to ensure one man, one vote. He said the technological method would take care of observable challenges that had faced the electoral umpire in the past polls.
“The bimodal technology will not only authentic voters finger print but physical appearance of the voter. Any voter who the technology could not authentic his finger print and physical appearance will not be allowed to vote ” he said
He urged the electorate and people of the state to ensure their votes are counted as they elect who becomes the next governor of the state.
According to him, the Governorship election in Anambra State was important because of emerging issues in the country vis-a-vis the year 2023 elections which allow the people to elect their leaders.
He urged the journalists to help and educate the voters to make informed choice through the ballot boxes to elect the governor of the state.
According to him , media is critical stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process, urging practitioners to make factual presentation of events as they unfold, especially, in making the society know what is happening in Anambra state election.
He also stated that 2, 525, 471 voters were eligible to vote in the November 6, 2021 Anambra governorship election. He said the figure comprised the 77,475 new registrants at the Continuous Voter’s Registration (CVR) exercise that ended on 5th September, 2021.
The chairman also stated that the Commission have recruited a total of 26,000 adhoc staff for the exercise. INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, on his opening remarks, appealed to the media to be objective and transparent in the reportage of the election.
The REC, who was represented by the State Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Njmem, said the electoral umpire will be transparent in all its dealings with the media and the electorate during the election.
“The commission wishes to use this opportunity, once again, to appeal to you to assist in ensuring the transparency of the electoral process through correct reportage of process across the 5, 220 polling unit in the state” he said.