Following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) N74 billion proposal for voters’ registration for the 2011 general elections, a United States-based computer scientist and software engineer, Kingsley Nwosu, has urged the National Assembly to reject the proposal by the commission, describing as untrue the view that software said to have been procured by INEC in 2006 could be fake and substandard.

Nwosu, president of Enenia Biometrics Inc and chief technology officer of Smartcard Solutions, New Jersey, United States, in reaction to BusinessDay’s story, said: “How can documentation software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years? What has changed in four years in the fundamental process of documenting people that will make the software obsolete?”

Nwosu, who has also been an adjunct professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Rutgers State University, New Jersey and a former visiting professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey, said software applications do not become obsolete “rather application features may become outdated.”

The chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, had while in an interactive session with selected media executives in Lagos, last week, stated that the budget of N74 billion the commission is seeking for the compilation of voters’ registration would be spent on new software upgrade and acquisition of new ones as well as on manpower training.

Nwosu asked: “Can the cost of upgrading simple documentation be that exorbitant to explain a N74 billion budget?” The software engineer said when certain features become outdated the existing software is upgraded, which is usually part of the supply agreement from the vendor (the supplier of the software). He said it does not make sense for INEC to buy the software because, according to him, it is a simple application that INEC could develop internally at virtually no cost.

He said “the excuse about the state of hardware (that is, they are outdated) makes no sense. Even if INEC did not procure state-of-the-art hardware for the voters’ registration in 2006, it is inconceivable that given the utility of the hardware (that is what the hardware is used for) they could have become outdated within four years. The hardware is used to store voters’ registration information for voters’ verification - not for space exploration or complex real-time activities.” Nwosu said he was surprised that INEC did not seek for an optimal solution rather than quickly settling for an ineffective and expensive approach.

“There is a plethora of state-of-the-art election processes based on the state-of-the-art technologies that are more effective and less expensive that will produce reliable and credible election for Nigeria. To[b] the best of my knowledge, INEC did not expend the necessary time and effort to seek an optimal approach. There is something ominous about what is going on in INEC with respect to the voting process in Nigeria. [/b] Given credence to Nwosu’s view that INEC did not make effort to seek a more cost effective approach, Ajay Patel, an election technology and observation consultant with the United Nations, New York, noted that “election missions build their critical software with little rigour or methodology.”

In an online paper on ‘Open source software and the electoral assistance community’, Patel said: “Open source software is developed using methodologies and standards that put collaboration, flexibility and reuse at the heart of the software. The resulting product is distributed freely, usually under a free licence, so it can be taken by others, used, improved and redistributed, creating an effective development cycle with a community of programmers invested in the project.”

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu had last week in Lagos said that the amount of money INEC was seeking for the voters’ registration exercise was too much considering the economic situation in the country. He cited example of Bangladesh, a country with geographical features similar to Nigeria’s where voters’ registration did not cost as much as what INEC is asking for. However, the commission last week responded to the barrage of criticisms that has trailed its budget for voters’ registration.

In a statement issued by Adefemi Adegbemiro, director of public affairs, INEC said the huge budget was as a result of the imperative of time and the need to compile a credible voters’ register. He stated: “Owing to the acute constraints of time, coupled with the generally acknowledged imperative of having a credible voters’ register in place for the 2011 general elections, the commission envisages compiling the voters’ list at points closest to the electorate, namely the officially designated 120, 000 polling units. Notice that the budget estimate is a range between a baseline, if the 120,000 Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines are sourced directly from manufacturers, and an upper limit if the machines are procured from vendors. Besides other incidental costs, the upper range, as should be expected, makes room for the vendors’ 30 percent profit margin.


“Considering that the time available for equipment procurement, by statutory stipulations, is barely four weeks, the commission’s thinking is that while efforts are being made to engage manufacturers, allowance must also be made for a fall-back on vendors to bridge the gap, should manufacturers find it impracticable to meet up with the required volume in the stipulated time.”

http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13465:software-engineer-faults-inecs-n74bn-budget-for-voter-registration&catid=85:national&Itemid=340

Nwosu, president of Enenia Biometrics Inc and chief technology officer of Smartcard Solutions, New Jersey, United States, in reaction to BusinessDay’s story, said: “How can documentation software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years? What has changed in four years in the fundamental process of documenting people that will make the software obsolete?”

Nwosu, who has also been an adjunct professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Rutgers State University, New Jersey and a former visiting professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey, said software applications do not become obsolete “rather application features may become outdated.”

The chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, had while in an interactive session with selected media executives in Lagos, last week, stated that the budget of N74 billion the commission is seeking for the compilation of voters’ registration would be spent on new software upgrade and acquisition of new ones as well as on manpower training.

Nwosu asked: “Can the cost of upgrading simple documentation be that exorbitant to explain a N74 billion budget?” The software engineer said when certain features become outdated the existing software is upgraded, which is usually part of the supply agreement from the vendor (the supplier of the software). He said it does not make sense for INEC to buy the software because, according to him, it is a simple application that INEC could develop internally at virtually no cost.

It would seem that every jack is is looking to jump out of obscurity by making crazy statements about the money budgetted for the elections.
This Nwosu guy obviously feels very comfortable making sweeping statements without any backing, an all too common Nigerian disease.

I find it incredible that a software engineer can wonder how "software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years". There are so many holes in his reasoning that it beggars belief. The same man 'said software applications do not become obsolete “rather application features may become outdated.”' If hardware is evolving at breakneck speed, what would even a novice conclude about the software that has to run on it? The everyday home user can get an understanding of what I am saying from the fact that there were several programmes people used very comfortable with Windows XP that blatantly refused to run on Windows Vista; you virtually had to find a replacement. . . And thats software!

Aside from the hardware a piece of software was built to target going obsolete, there are also certain security and speed constraints that plague older systems, especially were computationaly intensive work like processing biometric data is concerned. Talking about this area alone can run to several pages of fruitful discussion.

The software requirements needed for the last elections are totally different from what is being asked for 2011. INEC is talking about gathering fingerprint and eye data, which is light years away from the crudity that produced Mike Tyson, Bill Clinton etc in our voters register.
When software requirements are different, you need new software. No two ways.

Prof Nwosu. . . Fail!

Since you people want to continue with the election without going to the united nation for help.  I say go to the United nation, that is the only solution

What type of software engineer is this Nwosu. Software get replace. You cant use 2006 software for this election. If we had a problem with the first software, why use it again. What it means is that software database is populated with falsified name. Why use it. That software had a loophole that is why, falsified registration took place. It was not properly debug. Or there was a backdoor entering to populated the software with falsified names.

This person must not know much about  engineering. You cant use 2006 software in 2010.  Nwosu of a person have never worked in software before, sound like 419. Software get obsolete. Ask google. You cant use software of 2006 in 2010.  In 2010 , one of my  software have been updated 45 times. just this years only.


With less than   $100 million  , I can buy 120,000 laptop with software ready to go for the election.

If the exchange rate is N160  . Then that is $460 million US. I just told you, I would get 120,000 laptop and ship it to INEC for less than $100 millions including the software.    see the difference  $460 -100 = $360 million. I would save INEC $360 million

  my name is Engr Adesegun B.Eng, MIEE,  Here is my phone number (01) 6472582755 . 6473808772

Now, I have not seen the 2006 software, What I would assume is that that software was a standalone software. You cant use a standalone software for any election. My solution would be different.
While all client are over nigeria,it does not allow for duplication of registration. It ID everybody and a person can not go to a new registration centre and reregister. It would tell you that person has already registered.


While in voting two. It does the same.  Standalone software used for the 2006 election allowed for duplication or multiple registration and multiple voting. My system would have face recognition and finger print system,Biometrics and others.  There is no way you can vote twice.

So I wonder why Nwosu who claim to be a professor of computer would want them to continue to use a standalone software

At the control center , you would have 2 representative of each political parties.

You can see the difference between me and Prof Nwosu, Nwosu I assume have never worked with software before. Even while he is a prof.

what is the exchange rate in Nigeria. i want to do a calculation, and tell you, how much INEC should be asking for. What is the black market rate and official rate.

Even if anything has changed, to spend such money on upgrades which is all that might be needed? Only in Nigeria could that have happened.

If the exchange rate is N160  . Then that is $460 million US. I just told you, I would get 120,000 laptop and ship it to INEC for less than $100 millions including the software.    see the difference  $460 -100 = $360 million. I would save INEC $360 million

You cant use that 2006 software again, so you cant upgrade the software. the software is not good.

I went to the website of Kingsley Nwosu. He claim Prof Pat Utomi is one of his directors. I dont know. And tom the man who was arrested for NITEL fraud . I am not sure if Pat Utomi even knows this man.

I don't know anything about that but why the hell are my posts missing?

If the exchange rate is N160  . Then that is $460 million US. I just told you, I would get 120,000 laptop and ship it to INEC for less than $100 millions including the software.    see the difference  $460 -100 = $360 million. I would save INEC $360 million . What it means is guess .

So who is involve in this whole thing, what does the presidency know about this. INEC too.

@becomrich3 what exactly will be the point you are making. You said you have not seen the old software in question and yet you go ahead insulting without information. You gain nothing in pulling others down. I know you know that.
Make your point don't try to tell us how they need 120000 lappy. Laptop is not software.

gozzilla:

@becomrich3 what exactly will be the point you are making. You said you have not seen the old software in question and yet you go ahead insulting without information. You gain nothing in pulling others down. I know you know that.
Make your point don't try to tell us how they need 120000 lappy. Laptop is not software.

The deployment of the voting registration system would entail both hardware and software. Still, the software costs in no way justify the expense. And being that hardware price decreases when bought wholesale from a retailer, actually, the only real expense would come from hiring and training the personnel.

120,000 Laptops? An upgrade?

33000 before + 120,000 laptop = 150,000 laptop is Ok.

I have not seen the software, I only saw picture of the software been used on the internet.  But from looking at it and reading article about it on the internet. It is standalone software. And all client of the software are not integrated to a server system.

They function as single unit. And I do not know how the final database were all integrated, I would assume manually.  Which leave room for error and falsfication. In short , the software is not good enough. an upgrade of that software should not be used.

Look my calculation already including both the software cost and the hardware cost , and it is less than $100 million. So asking for $460 million.  And $360 million is the difference.

Look for 120,000 staff to conduct the registration . At what I assume, N20,000 for training and on registration day. they would pay them. even they would pay them less for what I know of nigeria.

120,000 X 20,000 = N2.4 billion( $15 million)

Even if I add $15 million to $100 million.  . =115 million.

$460- 115 =    $345 million

So this is the difference. So what is INEC going to use $345 million for. Who is behind it.

ikenwan:

The deployment of the voting registration system would entail both hardware and software,
And being that hardware price decreases when bought wholesale from a retail

It will be a fraud if they go out there to purchase that large number of laptop. This softwares are for specific things, so they can be put in say any handheld device. You don't need to get something "fancy" that will end in the officials homes after the election. Then we will be needing another  billions come next election.

ikenwan:

The deployment of the voting registration system would entail both hardware and software. Still, the software costs in no way justify the expense. And being that hardware price decreases when bought wholesale from a retail,

Actually, the only real expense would come from hiring and training the voting personnel.

I saw an earlier post you made by viewing your profile. I believe your view of what such a system would entail does not take every aspect into consideration; for example, you mentioned the possibility of using an MS Access database as the central store, but MS Access only allows a concurrency of 20 users max. It is easy to see that system with a MS Access backing store would crash fairly immediately, whereas a real life system would have to be an extremely robust and crash proof network with a distributed database; I'm sure it's already possible to start hearing the heavy thud of Dollars.

There are a thousand other things to consider, such as bandwidth and the infrastructure to deliver it; to the best of my knowledge, the country does not yet have anything adequate in place.
There will also need to be some intelligence on the client machines to do all biometric processing, display instructions etc; because the servers and network would not soon crash if such things are done remotely. etc etc

If we really mean to get it right by harnessing technology, then its going to cost some real dosh.

I have not said you should use access.

The only solution is for them to remove the Yorubas,edo,delta or go to the united nation and share with the north.

We don't want it ending up in the home of officials, yet we are purchasing 120,00 laptops? LOL

The last exercise involved purchasing thousands of laptops and PCs many of which are still unaccounted for, I don't see how purchasing laptops only will change that. MS access for a mission critical program? hhhmmm

when you discovered that Jega only ask for N55billion naira. Why did the govt give him N74 billion. Who want the extra N20billion. naija , una go kill person. How can nigeria be better. same thing.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5597615-146/inec_wants_55b_for_voters_register.csp

gozzilla:

It will be a fraud if they go out there to purchase that large number of laptop. This softwares are for specific things, so they can be put in say any handheld device. You don't need to get something "fancy" that will end in the officials homes after the election. Then we will be needing another  billions come next election.

I think a dedicated kiosk can be built just for the voting software and this way, available points of attack against the system (in case someone technically savvy wanted to rig it) can be limited. The voting software could even be the entire operating system embedded in it's own kiosk. By having an embedded system, the benefit in stealing it for something or other after the election would also be limited.

Beaf:

I saw an earlier post you made by viewing your profile. I believe your view of what such a system would entail does not take every aspect into consideration; for example, you mentioned the possibility of using an MS Access database as the central store, but MS Access only allows a concurrency of 20 users max. It is easy to see that system with a MS Access backing store would crash fairly immediately, whereas a real life system would have to be an extremely robust and crash proof network with a distributed database; I'm sure it's already possible to start hearing the heavy thud of Dollars.

There are a thousand other things to consider, such as bandwidth and the infrastructure to deliver it; to the best of my knowledge, the country does not yet have anything adequate in place.
There will also need to be some intelligence on the client machines to do all biometric processing, display instructions etc; because the servers and network would not soon crash if such things are done remotely. etc etc

If we really mean to get it right by harnessing technology, then its going to cost some real dosh.

I meant to use Microsoft Access as an off-hand example, but actually, after I'd finished posting it, doubts about network infrastructure crept in. You're completely right on that.

Kobojunkie (f) are you saying the government is involve in this fast move?

[size=28pt]At this point, I have to throw in the towel on Nigeria. there is no hope.  I do not see change insight.  Have a wonderful lifes Nigerian, I have tried on nigeria issue. May God help you people over there.

Nigerian. I am praying and fasting for you. It look like your issue is beyoud redemption. I have to confess that even when I went to nigeria churches it was the say issue Nigeria pastor scam people. redemeed pastor scam. the church scam people. what is wrong with you. Are you all born to be scam artist and criminals.  the government scam people. Nigeria business scam people. Nigerian scam people. nigeria website scam people.

What the hell is wrong with all of you people? are you all born to be thief. ?

I give up on you people. I say bye bye nigerian. Have a wonderful life. I give up , you are beyoud redemption.  no hope. It look likes you are all born criminals.  have a wonderful life. I do not want to talk about nigeria and nigerian[/size]

Beaf:

It would seem that every jack is is looking to jump out of obscurity by making crazy statements about the money budgetted for the elections.
This Nwosu guy obviously feels very comfortable making sweeping statements without any backing, an all too common Nigerian disease.

I find it incredible that a software engineer can wonder how "software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years". There are so many holes in his reasoning that it beggars belief. The same man 'said software applications do not become obsolete “rather application features may become outdated.”' If hardware is evolving at breakneck speed, what would even a novice conclude about the software that has to run on it? The everyday home user can get an understanding of what I am saying from the fact that there were several programmes people used very comfortable with Windows XP that blatantly refused to run on Windows Vista; you virtually had to find a replacement. . . And thats software!

Aside from the hardware a piece of software was built to target going obsolete, there are also certain security and speed constraints that plague older systems, especially were computationaly intensive work like processing biometric data is concerned. Talking about this area alone can run to several pages of fruitful discussion.

The software requirements needed for the last elections are totally different from what is being asked for 2011. INEC is talking about gathering fingerprint and eye data, which is light years away from the crudity that produced Mike Tyson, Bill Clinton etc in our voters register.
When software requirements are different, you need new software. No two ways.

Prof Nwosu. . . Fail!

I have to fault you on that one Beaf.

Your windows XP and Vista analogy doesnt apply to what the man is suggesting here. Infact it nails it!

Why buy a new Notebook with 3GHz processor and install Vista just to run the same windows office 2003 you have been running extra-comfortably with another PC of 2GHz processor and windows XP.

Remember, he asked:

“How can documentation software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years? What has changed in four years in the fundamental process of documenting people that will make the software obsolete?”

Voters registration runs on a documentation software and nothing has changed much in [b]the way [/b]voters registration is being conducted and processed for anyone to say the old one is outdated. If you think, there is any that couldnt be corrected by resident software engineers at INEC, abeg tell me.

The man made a whole lot of sense and I wonder how you cant see it that way.

Nwosu, president of Enenia Biometrics Inc and chief technology officer of Smartcard Solutions, New Jersey, United States, in reaction to BusinessDay’s story, said: “How can documentation software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years? What has changed in four years in the fundamental process of documenting people that will make the software obsolete?”

Nwosu, who has also been an adjunct professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Rutgers State University, New Jersey and a former visiting professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey, said software applications do not become obsolete “rather application features may become outdated.”

the man does have a point - unless inec is opting for a package from a different vendor - typically once you have procured an expensive software application - upgrades to newer versions are at a reduced cost

office 2003 is not obsolete, it just has less features than office 2010 - you have the option of upgrading at a lower cost rather than buying new
same can be said about windows, autocad, pdms, and all sorts of software applications out there

if vendors charged full price for upgrades to newer versions of their software, they would go broke

this may be tied in to tinubus accusati0n that inec used pirated software to conduct the last elections

from a business case, it is also disturbing. no managemnt board will be pleaseed with billion naira investments that are outmoded within 4 years, especially when they did not deliver any tangible results /ROI

@ Post,

The piece below is neither a rejoinder nor an addendum to the topic but my candid opinion as regards the scheduled election next year.

It is humiliating that the Chairman of INEC whose resume when appointed was read with applause, credibility and antecedents embroidered in success will submit a proposal for the sum of N74B to purchase requisite equipment, manpower and training with little or no substantive details to back up the said sum. 

I would have expected a detailed Project/Electoral Management Plan in place with due consideration for objectives, scope, timelines, tasks in a work breakdown structure,  planning, resources, processes, analysis, lessons learnt from past elections and cost. His duties as the new INEC chairman are to deliver credible, free and fair elections come 2011. I am afraid the objectives have started to suffer setbacks.

Howbeit that barely 2 months after his appointment he was able to confirm a budget figure? Two things might have happened:  he has not planned properly or he is acting a script. Either ways, both smell doom for the electoral future of this country and may be a bazaar/avenue to rob Nigerians of tax payers’ money.

This morning I was shocked when I heard over the radio that the National Assembly joint committees on Appropriation and Electoral Matters yesterday said N13.727billion was padded into the bugdet demanded by INEC for purchase of the Direct Capture Machines (DCM). This Jega informed represents 30% profit margin to vendors ( proposed to supply equipment).   He claimed the amount is a supposed contingency (worst case scenario) which is subject to where, who and how the equipment will be purchased. Citing that if the equipment are purchased directly from manufacturers, the profit margin will be far less and if purchased from Vendors, it will be a fixed 30% as contained in a circular issued by former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, during the military regimes. Outright gibberish.

The carnage and magnitude of corruption that exist in our polity are embarrassing.  Why would there be a policy that allows for 30% profit margin for supplies? Secondly, why is Jega indecisive on the procurement method and route? One will expect considering the quantity of equipment required, the stringent timelines bearing in mind that the elections are billed for first quarter of next year that there will be no other option but to partner with Manufacturers to guarantee timely delivery, quantity and best price. Savings on cost at this stage should not be premised on uncertainties. It is obvious that if further probed more loop holes will be found.

I have not seen the electoral timetable or programme but I sincerely doubt the possibility of having credible elections next year with inadequate planning, training, milestone reviews, monitoring and control. A detailed Project/Electoral Management Plan must be developed.

^^^^ The man plans to use the timeschedule put together by his predecessor, problem I have with that is that it does not seem to be enough time to get things right, considering this plans to somehow overhaul the existing voter registration, purchase brand new machines and ware which will need to be severly tested to iron out kinks and ensure success . . . .

Can anyone really not see that Jega works for the government?  

The guy does not get it. The software in 2006 was fraud and nothing but a charade. If he truly knows what biometric software is all about
he will know that there was no way names like Obama Obama, Michael Jackson, Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela would have gotten into the registered names with their own "unique" thumbprint identity and picture in 2006

No . . . the software did not enter the names in the system. Someone/Some person probably did it. The software is likely still functional, only that they need to SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICT Users of the software . . . hold them accountable for every data entered.

He wants the real thing. These stuff are the real thing. The "real thing" actually is powered by electricity, which homes in nigeria need more than the real. But honestly this locomotive trains are still in use in the western world, more especially in China. Maybe not to convey people, but it is still in use. Let us not throw the bath water with the baby. As we rebuild this stuff, when the "real thing" come we would have benefitted. Our roads will have less cargo travelling on them.

We should begin to learn what to do with this mess and not keep saying this is mess.