2015 Elections: FEC Approves N459m For INEC Smart Card Readers

Voters-registrationThe Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the sum of N459 million for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to procure 17,000 customised and configured smart card readers for voters’ authentication during elections

Speaking with State House Correspondents on the outcome of FEC meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said the contract for the procurement was awarded to Messrs Zinox Technologies Ltd at the rate of N27,000 per card with a completion period of six months.

Maku said the approval was in line with the resolve of the current administration to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

The Minister said the smart card readers could be deployed to polling stations during elections and would be used to verify the identity cards of registered voters.

“The proposal is clearly to ensure that all those who have fake identity cards are identified in all future elections.

“So, when you bring your voter card and there are doubts, it will pass through a process to verify the authenticity of the cards.

“Since the voter cards now have biometrics, it will be easy for the smart card readers to verify the identity of those who come out to vote during elections.

“This is to completely stop incidence of double voting which often occur during elections.

“It is also to ensure that those who vote are citizens that have been duly registered to vote in specific constituency where the election might be holding,” he said..

Maku said the approval was for the first batch and there would be subsequent two installments to cover the numbers needed for all polling centres in the country.

2 COMMENTS

  1. IF NIGERIAN LEADERS/POLITICIANS WERE SANE, Hwcom d National House of Assemblies Abuja happend 2b a place where senators throw punch @ each oda? Hwcom Nigeria happend 2b d only proud nation dat import’s petroleum whereas, they ar blesd wit Crude Oil? Hwcom a licensed robber lik Depriye Alamesiagha dat was caught 4 money laundry d oda day, now hav unltd access in2 ASOROCK even mor dan Gov.A.Oshiomohle of Edo state? Hwcom a truism murder lik MUSTAPHA(FORMA DEFENSE MINISTA)whom has alredy bin pronounced condemned by d lawcourt bcame free 2day & even wanted 2b re-instated in2 d Nig Army? Hwcom a senator who could not represent his or her self, is representin a whole constituency? Hwcom dey said dey hav S.O.N. Yet, substandard product stil becloud d Nigerian market today? Hwcom FG placed embago on employmnt whereas, secret employmnt is stil goin on? Hwcom FG placed embago on employmnt whereas, our Niger univasities,polytecnics/colleges of education pours out millions of graduates yearly? Hwcom brothers are faking their brother’s self esteem for their wives?