Election Registration Process

Come April, 2011, Nigeria will be having another democratic election. Voters registration process as regards the forthcoming election has began with 132,000 Direct Data Capture Machines imported for this process. This is the first time since independent that the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machine is used in Nigeria to ensure a free and fair election. Many citizens are excited at this new process which captures one's data and photo. There have been a huge challenge using the machines which have resulted to improper training of those engaged to handle the process. There have been stories of those rejected by the machine or malfunction of the machine. I wonder why they were not well trained despite the huge amount of money released for this election.

Many Nigerians are so eager to register for various reason. Some wants to exercise their civic rights while most parents believes that government may require the card to enrol their children n school and they just want to register to have the voters registration card. They are not interested to vote because they believe that there vote do not count. To vote is our rights but having it count is what cannot be determine in Nigeria among politicians. Public office in Nigeria is a do-or -die affair, politician do anything to get a chair of their choice. This is why the citizen do not believe in their vote. Also, with the fight outbreak in my community on Sunday, one whose wonder why there should be a fight at the registration centre that even involve the use of cutlass on each other just the poor processes.

There was rumour of another bomb blast that was supposed to be planted in Lagos, Nigeria. Schools have not resume this year because of this rumour to avoid more casualties and stories of kidnapping of children. They may likely resume next week and am sure will stay back home in April till after there is certainty that the environment is peaceful.

The primaries have been peaceful as compare to past elections and look forward to April for the election proper. We really hope it will be a peaceful one without violence which has always been the iced decoration of all elections in Nigeria.