1000 sets of identical twins cause confusion for INEC’s biometric system

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be having a hard time sorting and handling the identities of identical twins and other multiple births in the country as the commission’s biometric machines are said to be failing to distinguish their identities.

Those affected, under the aegis of United twins and Multiple Births for Transforation in Nigeria have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the group’s joint presidents, Akpos Mamuzee-Dixon and Andos Mamuzee-Dixon, both artistes, said that Akpos has gotten his own permanent voter’s card but Andos was not issued any because INEC’s biometric machine could not distinguish them.

According to them, over 1000 sets of twins and products of other multiple births in the country were facing the same problem.

Punch quotes Akpos as saying: 

“When we got to the point of our registration in Wuse Zone 7, Akpos presented his Temporary Voter Card, and they found his name on the list and they gave him his PVC. But when it was my turn, they said they could not find my name on the list despite providing my temporary card. They asked to search for my name in other centres. We did but we could not find my name. 

“We were then asked to go to Karu. When we got to Karu a woman who was an INEC official told us that when they saw the pictures of the two of us and they decided to keep one of the cards on the assumption that it was the same person who was being fraudulent by registering twice.” 

“Is it now a crime to be twins? I have no apology for being a twin or being identical with my twin. President Goodluck Jonathan must intervene in this. The essence of biometric system is to distinguish persons. If INEC machine cannot distinguish us as different persons then, with due respect, INEC has failed.”

The twins threatened to sue INEC for not responding to their letter to the chairman, Prof. Atahiru Jega, dated Novemeber 25, written through the law firm of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN). 

In the letter, the twins also demanded a compensation of N20million for the trauma; psychological depression and embarrassment caused them by the denial.