Nigeria: INEC Memo to Correct Prior Registration without Fingerprints

Provision of Special Registration Circumvention

The 10-fingerprint scan requirement for valid voter registration cards can be waived for those with special circumstances the narrow definition of which would pertain to amputees and those who might have lost fingers and or thumbs leaving them with the inability to provide 10-unique fingerprints from the same person.

Protocols exist to register such persons and there should be accompanying paperwork to describe and explain why the 10-fingerprints could not be captured else that registration is considered grossly deficient and hence void.

Under no circumstances should the fingerprint scanning process be abridged, ignored or circumvented for those who evidently have 10-fingers except in particularly rare circumstances where the whorls are indistinguishable by the system as a result of medically proven ailments like diabetes or high-blood pressure and manually oppressed hands as a result of heavy labour like farming – but that are quite exceptional cases.

Memo for correcting prior registration without fingerprints

On the 20^th of January, 2011, INEC released a document entitled Abuse of Special Registration [1] downloadable as a PDF file clearly giving directions as to how to manage the reregistration of those whose original registrations had been voided by the absence of the 10-fingerprint scan.

**** Critical Validation Check ****

You can identify of your Voter’s Registration card is valid by checking that the 5 tiny square boxes aligned vertically on either side of your photograph are all coloured in black for the L (left hand) and the R (right hand).

If any of these boxes are not shaded, your registration is void and you have to return to your original Polling Unit to ameliorate the situation.

Guidelines for re-registration

The guidelines are as follows;

1. The Assistant Registration Officer (ARO) will check the original voter’s card to ensure that the person is at the right Polling Unit.
2. Upon confirming that, the ARO will re-register the registrants on the same DDC machine capturing all fingerprints and issue a new Voter’s Registration Card.
3. The original Voter’s Registration Card will then be destroyed by cutting it through with a pair of scissors.
4. The ARO should locate the previous registration on FORM EC1A and cancel it with initials indicating the invalidated status.
5. The registrant’s details are then recorded as a new entry on FORM EC1A.
6. At the end of the registration period, FORM EC1A and the invalidated Voter’s Registration Cards must be returned to the LGA/State Office.

Reference

[1] INEC Memo Concerning the Abuse of Special Registration