The Vice President says he never suggested the use of National Identity card as an alternative to voters card in 2019 election
Read his statement
Our attention has been drawn to some misleading newspaper reports today claiming that the President gave “orders” that national identity cards be used in the 2019 elections.
For the avoidance of any doubt, the President has made no
such order and the Vice President’s speech (delivered yesterday by the Deputy Chief
of Staff to the President, Mr. Ade Ipaye at the Policy Roundtable on Identity
Eco-System in the country, which the report used to make such erroneous
claims), certainly made no mention of the 2019 elections at all.
What the speech said was that the President has taken an
initiative to harmonize identity management in the country so as to ensure that
every Nigerian has a unique identifier. And in the same vein, the speech added
that it is the “President’s charge that the national identification number
number, (NIN) is used to authenticate eligible voters in the near future, as
well as in the areas of access to health insurance, registration of SIM cards,
access to social welfare, financial transactions, etc.”
What this means is that such a unique identifier as the NIN
can, when eventually issued, help to confirm age and nationality status of
eligible voters, for instance. Or even help determine eligibility of persons
presenting themselves for health, social welfare, financial and other available
services in the country.
The President was not giving any directive to INEC or any
order regarding 2019. Mr. President and this administration fully respect the
autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and also very
determined to preserve the integrity of the electoral process at all times.
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