Smart Card Reader is still very much in use – INEC – TheNigerialawyer

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said
the Smart Card Reader (SCR), is still very much in use during
elections in the country, contrary to a recent media report.

The Commission said the clarification became necessary due to
recent media reports, which had quoted the National Commissioner in
Charge of Information and Voter Education, Barr Festus Okoye, as
saying the electronic device had outlived its usefulness in the
nation’s electoral system.

However, in a statement signed by the same National
Commissioner, Okoye, Thursday evening in Abuja, the Commission said
the value of the SCR is still very relevant to the conduct of
elections in the country, explaining that use of the device had
been included in the laws guiding electoral conducts in the country
to protect the process against compromise on abuse.

According to the statement, the SCR was introduced to ascertain
the identity of voters and to prevent impersonation and multiple
voting, warning anyone, including polling officers who would
attempt circumventing the process by abandoning the SCR, would be
deemed to have committed a crime, for which he would be
prosecuted.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will
continue to use and deploy the Smart Card Reader (SCR) in all
elections, including the re- run elections in the Kogi West
Senatorial District, the Ajaokuta Federal Constituency and Sabuwa
State Constituency elections holding on Saturday, November 30,
2019.

“This clarification has become necessary in the light of remarks
attributed

to the National Commissioner in-charge of Information and Voter
Education, Festus Okoye Esq, at a program organized by the
Situation Room, which gave the impression that Smart Card Readers
are no longer useful in the electoral process.

“To the contrary, the National Commissioner spoke in the context
of attempts by some political interests to willfully by-pass the
Smart Card Reader during elections, to inflate their votes. They do
this against the backdrop of the Supreme Court decision that the
SCR is not to be used exclusively to determine over-voting.

“However, the Commission introduced the Smart Card Reader (SCR)
in the electoral process principally as additional confirmatory and
authentication tool to determine the authenticity of cards
presented by voters and eliminate impersonation, which are serious
challenges to the electoral process in Nigeria. The SCR is
therefore designed to strengthen the integrity of the electoral
process and eliminate multiple voting.

“In accordance with Section 49(1 & 2) of the Electoral Act,
2010 (as amended) and Clause paragraph 10(a) of INEC Regulations
and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, a person intending to
vote with his voter’s card shall be verified to be the same person
on the Register of Voters by use of the Smart Card Reader
(SCR).

“Furthermore, by paragraph 10(b) of the said Regulations and
Guidelines,

“Any Poll Official who violates the provisions of paragraph
10(a), relating to the use of the Smart Card Reader, shall be
deemed to be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to
prosecution”.

“Political Parties, candidates in election, Poll Agents and the
electorate are reminded that voter resistance to the use of the
Smart Card Reader and obstruction and resistance to the
deployment/distribution of electoral materials constitute unlawful
truncation of the electoral process and zero votes will be entered
for the affected polling unit.

“The Commission will continue to work with the National Assembly
and all the critical stakeholders to reduce malpractices in our
electoral process, including over voting. As part of this process,
strengthening the legal basis of the use of the SCR, as well as
other amendments that will advance the electoral process, would be
vigorously pursued.

“The Commission will also continue to work with the security
agencies and other stakeholders to prevent individuals and/or
groups from undermining the use and application of the Smart Card
Reader in elections,” the statement said.