FG working to curb multiple voting in elections —Minister

THE Federal Government has revealed that the new electronic voting machine being developed by one of its agencies, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, is capable of curbing multiple voting in elections in Nigeria.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, who was elated by the efficiency of the voting machine invented by NASENI, pledged the commitment of the Federal Government towards encouraging manufacturing of some of these vital equipment and machines in Nigeria.

He spoke during his working visit to the agency’s office in Abuja, saying the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was making frantic efforts to ensure that the country, through NASENI, was able to produce many of the equipment and machines that are currently being imported into Nigeria.

Onu, said the present administration was not only committed to making sure the economy was revived, but also ensure positive economy growth.

He said: “My visit today is very special and unique. I recall in January in the ministry, NASENI was able to show Nigerians that we are gradually coming of age that many of the economic problems we have in our country that we have the capacity to solve these problems.

“I am very happy with what I have seen, that we can do instant registration. By that, it means that you get registered and the card will be issued to you within five minutes, this is very impressive, and NASENI will not rest on its oars until we reduce the fives minutes to one minute.

“This is the essence of the research, because you will never be satisfied until you get the very best, so I am impressed with what we have seen but we want more,” he said.

He added that government would continue to explore ways to ensure job and wealth creation for the youth.

Earlier, the Director-General of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Professor Muhammed Sani Haruna, said the machine was developed to address the numerous challenges bedeviling Nigeria during the elections.

He, therefore, announced that the existing Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Permanent Voter’s Card had been adopted for the use of new e-voting equipment.