Technical problems with the fingerprint readers at polling stations in Nigeria have caused several delays in verifying voters’ identities in the ongoing general elections.
And it appears everyone is vulnerable to the problem as incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan found out on Saturday.
[contextly_sidebar id=”BzODT9wmicU52cwDrZOkNHBAsbA0U1DT”]The Nigerian President had to wait for about 50 minutes until he was able to register in his home village of Otuoke.
The card reader used in the verification process failed initially to recognise the President’s identity.
There have been several similar reports in other polling stations across the country.
The problems with the biometric system were predicted by several analysts as the process has never been previously tried in elections.
President Jonathan, who was accompanied by his wife, asked Nigerians to remain calm and assured them that everybody who registered would be verified.
The BBC reported that as some polling stations, voters have been asked to wash their hands before they are verified.
According to the officials, the card readers, find it much easier to read the fingerprints of the voters when their hands are clean.
The elections are being contested by fourteen candidates, however, there it is widely accepted that the contest is essentially between President Goodluck Jonathan or former army chief General Muhammadu Buhari.
Analysts say that these elections will be the closest since Nigeria returned to democratic rule.
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana