Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasised the need for harmonisation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) database with National Identity Database (NIDB).
Obasanjo said this while playing host to the team of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Ogun State led by the State Coordinator, Olushola Shotayo, who was on a courtesy visit at his Villa in Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.
According to him, linkage of National Identification Number (NIN) to voter’s card will strengthen our electoral system, sanitise it and remove many loopholes of electoral fraud. This, in turn, will create desirable good governance and better leadership in the country. The former President also moved for the inclusion of blood groups in the data being collected at the registration centre for NIN.
“Inclusion of blood group as part of the data being collected during NIN registration will go a long way to help accident victims and patients in comma rushed to a hospital and in need of blood to get it on time as their blood group will easily be identified. All these I am saying now were part of the things we had in our plans in 1977 when I initiated the national identity project in Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate we are still at this stage in Nigeria with our identity management. In this digital age, everyone is expected to be digitally identified and oriented.”
He said that any nation that is behind in Artificial Intelligence (AI) would have problems with development, provision of welfare, security of her people and management of corruption.
“That is one of the reasons we are having the problems being experienced currently in this country. I know some people are worried about the data you are collecting because it will expose them, but as time goes on, we will get acclimatised to transparency in this nation.
That is why I am pledging my support to you. In any way you want me to come in as my input to what you are doing, I will do it,” he added.
Others in the team of the NIMC include Head of Enterprise Service and Network Infrastructure, Abiola Adu; Head, Local Government Coordination, AdenikeOyebolu; Customer Care Unit Head, Gbenga Odesanya; Head of Inspectorate and Enforcement Unit, Folashade Abayomi and the State Media Officer (Corporate Communication Unit), OlutundeAninkan.
