The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Olamilekan Adeola, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to consider alternative means of identification to prevent voter disenfranchisement.
Adeola, popularly called Yayi, stressed that accepting multiple forms of ID for voting will make the electoral process more inclusive and transparent.
The lawmaker representing Ogun West Senatorial District praised the use of National Identity Numbers and Driver’s Licences as voter identification at the ongoing Ogun State local government election, calling it a strategy to prevent voter disenfranchisement and ensure everyone can participate.
Yayi, who voted at the U.A.M.C. Polling Unit in Pahayi, Ilaro, noted that INEC can address challenges associated with the Permanent Voter’s Card and promote a smoother voting experience for Nigerians by exploring alternative identification methods.
Speaking to our correspondent after voting, the senator suggested that passports or national identity cards could be used alongside the INEC card to verify voters’ identities.
Yayi, however, acknowledged that the current electoral law only recognises the INEC card, and any changes would require amendments to the law.
As a lawmaker, he stressed the need for a thorough and legal process to implement these changes.
He stated, “I want to strongly believe that if we mitigate against this idea of disenfranchising people from casting their vote for one reason or the other, I will believe that it is not a bad idea to use other means of identification.
“The only thing is that there should be a lot of processes into this that will make it more legal, and that can show to the whole world the level of using it transparent. As far as that process is concerned, this will convince Nigerians that going forward into the future, aside from the PVCs, we can also use other legal means of identification, like a passport or the NIN card.
“But as I have said, what is recognised by law as we speak today is the PVC. So, if we are going to amend, the Electoral Act has to accommodate all of these that have not yet been done.
“So for now, we stand for INEC to introduce this; it is a way not to disenfranchise the people from exercising their fundamental human rights. It is the right step in the right direction, to an extent.
“But for me, from the point of view of a lawmaker, I know that the right thing has to be done for that process to be recognised by law.”
Adeola, however, commended the peaceful election process in his senatorial district and the state, noting that the turnout was impressive.
“It is a very peaceful election process, from what we have been able to gather from everywhere across the length and breadth of my senatorial district and, by extension, across the state. And as for the turnout, I can say from where I voted here, I am impressed with the level of the turnout.
“It is expected that the process has just commenced, and in the next couple of hours, I believe that everybody will be fully aware that the voting process has commenced, and they need to come out and cast their vote for the candidate of their choice.
“And I must commend particularly the OGSIEC for putting together a very successful process that is made easy,” he stated.
Adeola’s call for alternative identification methods echoes similar proposals by civil society organisations, such as Yiaga Africa, which has advocated for the use of national ID cards, passports, and driver’s licences for voter verification.
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