By Emeka Aginam, Prince Osuagwu,  Emmanuel Elebeke, Nnamdi Ojiego & Charles Mgbolu
THE shaky take-off of the on-going registration of voters for this year’s general elections is attributable to a combination of INEC’s choice of software, registration officials who have little knowledge of the machines they are to use, and logistics, according to Vanguard findings.

Nevertheless,  INEC has kept reassuring Nigerians that it has all the capacity to carry out an effective voters’ registration exercise. This is even when the technology backbone for the exercise, the DDC machines, had a shaky start in many areas.

However, investigations revealed that the first problem was related to the capacity of INEC personnel to install the equipment properly. In most places the personnel adopted a trial and error strategy that was time wasting and frustrating.

lINEC officilas at the Sports Centre on Oluwaleyimu Street, Ikeja, last Monday. Photo by Emeka Aginam

The second problem was related to slow finger scanning arising from the way INEC calibrated its software to achieve high quality finger print impressions.  Although INEC has assured that both problems would be sorted out in due time, Hi-Tech gathered that fingerprint impressions may also be a major headache to a smooth exercise owing to the software that combines the hardware technology for the exercise.

CyberLIFE reliably gathered that INEC decided to pitch its tent on Linux software which may become slower in the process than Oracle and others due to cost. Professor Jega’s INEC was said to have declined acquisition of Oracle and other faster alternative software because none of them costed below N6 billion when the Commission had been offered Linux at next to nothing.

Also, one of the equipment suppliers, Zinox Technologies blamed the hiccups on the inability of registration officials to properly instal the equipment, as well as calibration of the software capturing fingerprints.

In many of the registration centres visited, INEC’s registration officials could be seen struggling with the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines, which made the process tedious, and kept people on queue for longer than intended.

At the sports arena on Oluwaleyimu Street, in Ikeja, which is a registration centre, it was discovered that the exercise was experiencing hiccups as a result of low sensitivity of the DCC in capturing fingerprints. An official who refused to give his name complained that “INEC had told us  that the DDC machine should be able to capture voter’s finger print in a few minutes. That is why we are experiencing difficulties in registering voters. We do not have problem in power as the DDC has back up that sustains the battery whenever there is no power supply from external source. Just yesterday, (Sunday) we were able to register 36 voters. We would have exceeded that number if the machines are smart,” he said.

Scanner pads, printers fail
At Eniyanlobinu Street, Oshodi, the story was similar. It was gathered that the exercise could not start on Saturday as scheduled until Sunday afternoon, and then, only 12 people were registered. The problems included battery and system failure, while those registered could not collect their cards as the printer also failed.

At Mabayoje Street, still in Oshodi, there were problems with the scanner, which caused only four (4) people to be registered on Sunday. However on Monday, the situation had improved as the faulty equipment had been replaced.

By 12.00 noon, yesterday, on Oronna Street, there were no officials and equipment to be seen, while people waited patiently for them to arrive.

One thing common to all the registration centres visited was the capture pads that took in thumb prints. A man on queue who gave his name as Dapo observed that the pads have been the major reasons for the hiccups in the registration process in the centre. He said the exercise went smoothly up on till the point of getting your thumb print captured.

“The problem is everywhere. You can imagine spending up to one hour on one person alone because of this thumb print machine that is not working,” he said heatedly.

Power problem as DDC machine goes up in smoke
At New Mebamu, Okokomaiko, Lagos, the laptops and other materials meant for the exercise exploded immediately they were connected to power, making it impossible for people to be registered. The suppliers of that particular equipment could not be immediately ascertained as the damaged materials were promptly taken to the council headquarters before our reporters could reach to the polling center.

This incident happened on Sunday, while residents numbering over 200 waited for hours before the registration officers arrived but were disappointed when the equipment that they would use to register them went up in smoke.

Welder connects DDC with power at Amuwo
The story was similar at Amuwo polling unit 041. The registration officers complained that they don’t have a source of power supply to power the equipment and a designated place to do the registration. One of them said, “we have come here, and have since have been looking for a place to stay. Again, there is no light to power the machines”. However, a welder operating close to them offered to, and indeed connected them with electric light.

Zinox blames hiccups in installation, calibration of equipment
Meanwhile, Zinox Computers, one the local PCs assemblers that won the contract for the DDC machine has disclosed in a press statement that the  DDC machines, the technology backbone for the exercise had a shaky start in some areas.

“The first problem was related to the capacity of INEC personnel to install the equipment properly. In most places the personnel adopted a trial and error strategy that was time wasting and frustrating.

“The second problem was related to slow finger scanning arising from the way that INEC calibrated its software to achieve high quality finger print. INEC has given its word that both problems would be fully addressed in full course.

“Meanwhile, in Lagos, management staff of Zinox Technologies Limited went round the city in the first day of the registration exercise in a bid to help the INEC staff to install the equipment properly and make the takeoff of the voters’ registration less frustrating. Zinox earlier displayed patriotism by employing 2 Engineers for each of the 36 States and Abuja.

“ These 74 support staff was not part of the contract but a gesture from Zinox to ensure that the DDC technology does not overwhelm the INEC operatives. In addition, Zinox has caused to be published full page color advertisements in all national dailies designed to give vital tips, with graphic details on the DDC machines.

“Well meaning Nigerians believe that in due course, as the INEC staff master the DDC technology, most of these efforts would yield a hitch free exercise” the statement said.