CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, has said that the commission would issue the 10-year permanent voters’ cards to registered voters before the end of 2013.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at the commission’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners, Jega said that INEC had gone far in the production of the first phase of the cards.
“By the time the contract is executed, all the registered voters will have their permanent voters card produced.
“It is our hope that all the cards will be distributed before the end of the year,” Jega said.
He said the cards contained security features such as embedded chips with printed voters’ details, photograph barcode, micro-text, hologram and fingerprints.
“The cards will be electronic in nature and will be used for identification, authentication and for voting to prevent multiple voting and frauds,” he said.
The INEC boss said the meeting would discuss the issue of permanent voters’ cards, their production, distribution and security.
He also said that the meeting would discuss the delineation of electoral constituencies and progress made toward 2015 general elections, among others.
The Federal Executive Council approved N2.6 billion in 2012 for the printing of first phase of 40 million out of the 75 million permanent voters’ cards needed in the country for general elections.
There are 73.5 million temporary voters’ cards awaiting replacement.