January 16, 2018

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed a website technology to ease its dealings with electorate, candidates, political parties and other stakeholders in the electoral process.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new INEC website is – http://www.inecnigeria.org

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Mr Emeka Ononamadu, said in an interview with NAN in Enugu on Tuesday.

Ononamadu said that the whole essence of the deployment of the website technology was to make the electoral process less stressful and less cumbersome.

He said people could get the information they wanted it instantly online.

“The new website is interactive and user-friendly; while allowing visitors to subscribe to INEC’s newsletters.’’

The REC said the website had detailed information under the following heading – INEC Youth Ambassadors; Electoral Officials; INEC Citizens Contact Centre (ICCC); INEC LGA Offices; Political Activities and The Media.

Others are Aspirants and Candidates; Election Management Bodies; Registration Area Centres Nation Wide and Check Your Voter Registration Status.

Ononamadu said Nigerians could use the website to update their knowledge as well as check their status and that of their aspirants and candidates.

“The new website – http://www.inecnigeria.org, which has improved features that is interactive and user-friend, is made to ease the electoral process by giving usable and up-to-date information concerning aspects of the electoral process and developments to Nigerians.

“Like in the provision for Checking Your Voter Registration Status; you can check your voter status by entering your details in the form on this page through imputing your state of residence; surname; and Voters Identification Number (VIN) – last 7 digits.

“We also have provision for our newsletters as well as important online news and articles on special INEC events nationwide or in some states as the case might be,’’ he said.

The REC said that the commission would continue to do its best to evolve easier, far-reaching and better ways to enlighten and educate Nigerians on their electoral obligations.

NAN recalls that INEC is one of the leading electoral bodies in Africa that had been introducing cutting edge technology to better the electoral process.

The commission introduced the electronic voters’ registration, which involves electronic data capturing for voters’ nationwide over 12 years ago.

About five years ago, it introduced the card readers, which is a technological devise that authenticate the voter’s Permanent Voter Card (PVC) against the electronic thumb print of the voter at the polling booth.

NAN correspondent, visited the website, observed that the commission has a countdown clock on the Feb. 16, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.