Nairaland Forum

LAGOS— DEPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said, yesterday, that the N74 billion requested by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was too much and that it was possible to reduce the amount needed to conduct a fresh register for 2011 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had asked the Federal Government to relelase N74 billion for a fresh voters’ register.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, Senator Ekweremadu said there was too much poverty in the country for such staggering amount to be used only for voters’ register.

He said the Senate would work closely with INEC to see how the figure could be drastically reduced and still execute the assignment at hand, adding: “I think for the purpose of the election, it (estimate) is reasonable but a country such as here where we have so much poverty, it is on the high side.

“So if there is anyway we can deal with it in such a way that there could be like two polling booths per Data Capturing Machine, DCM, I’m sure its going to reduce the figure. We will work it out with him but he is going to get all the support he needs from us"
May use existing register if…

But Jega was also quick to add that “in the event that the funds are not made available, then the only option would be for the Commission to clean up the register.”

That, too, Jega made clear, “comes with its own problems. What we can do is to print the current register as it is, display it so that people can come and make their claims and objections, but that would be it.

“If somebody observes that his name is there but the photograph is not his own, then we would still need the capture machines and if we don’t have them, that leaves us with the best and only option of doing this thing, carry out a fresh registration of voters.”

The INEC boss said the cost of the exercise is N74 billion.

On a positive note, he said the benefits to derive from this exercise far outweigh whatever the cost is. This is because as we are preparing for the registration of voters, we are also factoring-in the real elections of January.”

The fear has started.

Abeg, they had better give Jega the money jare. Bloody buffoons in govt.
When Jega has finished setting up his biometric voters register, we will see how the current scoundrels in power will be able to rig themselves in. Lets see how many cows eyes and chickens toe prints they will be able to register.

They better give Jega the money.

Ike Ekweremadu would have been making sense if this is not the same NASS that approved N17b to celebrate nothing in the name of independence.

I am also concerned about Jega dropping figures anyhow, but instead of starving him of funds it better to provide those funds but monitor strictly how it is being spent.

Jega better deliver or face jail!

lol  . . . since no one else seems to be calling for him to be held to the promise made . . .