What Happens If PVC Card Reader Rejects You?

Given the trenchant positions for and against the introduction of the
card readers, Nigerians and indeed, international election observers
would be in suspense on the efficacy of what the country's Election
Management Body has promised as the antidote to election rigging.

However, even the national chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega is not oblivious that
as a mechanical or electronic device that the card reader could have
its problems. So despite the fact that not more than 160,000 units
would be needed, the commission according to him procured an extra
20,000 units to serve as backups on Election Day.

Two possible scenarios
If the functional card reader fails to read your PVC, you would be
politely told to leave the polling station and the incidence would be
noted down by the polling officer. Where you resist, law enforcement
officers would be asked to handle you.

However, if the card reader authenticates the card as genuine but
fails to match the finger print of the person who brought it to that
on the PVC, the assistant presiding officer shall repeat the process
again and if the finger print still does not authenticate the person,
then the potential voter will be referred to the presiding officer or
a senior officer at the polling unit. That officer would examine the
PVC to establish if it really belongs to the voter and if satisfied
and with the concurrence of the agents of the parties allow the
potential voter to proceed to the next stage of the accreditation
process and for voting.

However, the incidence of the card reader failing to cross match the
PVC to the finger print shall be noted as an incidence. This is
because the card reader keeps a tabulation of all those who passed
through the screening exercise.
--Vanguard