-
As Lawmakers Pass Electoral Act Amendment Bill
- Safiu Kehinde
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has denied the alleged removal of the electronic transmission of election results from the now passed Electoral Act amendment bill.
Members of the upper chamber had on Wednesday passed the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill to regulate the conduct of the federal, state and Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This followed the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill by the lawmakers in the Committee of the Whole during the chamber’s plenary session.
The development laid public concerns and agitation to rest as calls for the passage of the bill had over the past few days intensified.
While commending the committee over the development, Akpabio, clarified claims of alleged removal of electronic transmission.
Akpabio said that the senate, in consideration of the bill, retained Clause 60 which was on the ‘Electronic Transmission of Results’.
“I salute you, the Chairman, Sen. Niyi Adegbonmire, for your dexterity, hard work, your patriotism and your love for your country.
“So let me just mention the fact that there were no deliberate attempts on the part of the Nigerian Senate to delay the amendment of the Electoral Act.
“Our intention has always been to ensure that we do our best and we do it painstakingly, taking our time to ensure that what comes out reflects the yearnings and aspirations of all Nigerians,
“The social media is already awash with the fact that the senate has rejected electronic transmission. That is not true.
“Electronic transmission has always been in our hearts. And what we did was to retain the electronic transmission, which has been in our hearts, and which was used in 2020.
“So please, do not allow people to confuse you. If you are in doubt, we will make our final votes and proceedings available to you if you apply and you are entitled, so that you’ll see.
“This senate, under my watch, has not rejected electronic transmission of results. It’s in my interest, as a participant in the next election for such to be done.
“So please don’t go with the crowd. We have retained what was in the previous provision. That’s all we did.
“So if we rejected what was proposed by way of amendment and said let’s retain what was in the previous provision, the previous provision has made provisions for electronic transmission. So it is still there as part of our laws,” Akpabio said.
The senate president further said that Nigeria should be moving forward, not moving backward, adding: “There is no way we can, in this era of electronics, we will now be going backwards”.
He, thereafter, announced the membership of the Conference Committee with Sen. Niyi Adegbonmire as chairman.
Members of the committee are: Senators Simon Lalong, Mohammed Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Abbas and Tokunbo Abiru.
Akpabio urged them to work assiduously to bring “this back for us to give to Mr President so that within this month, we can commence the process of procurement after the president’s signature”.
Earlier, the Senate had amended Clause 22(C) which is on Offences of ‘Buying and selling of voter’s card’.
It now read: “any person who offers to buy, sells or offers to sell votes whether on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N5 million or imprisonment of not more than two years.
Clause 28 on Notice of Election was also amended by reducing the notice of election from 360 days to 180 days
“Commission shall not later than 180 days before the day appointed for holding of an election under this bill, publish a notice in each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” it read.
Clause 29, as amended, also read: “Every political party shall, not later than 90 days before the date appointed for a general election under this bill, submit to the commission in the prescribed Forms.
Clause 47 was amended to make Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as mode of accreditation with Permanent Voter Card as mode of identification.
The Senate, thereafter, adjourned sitting till Feb. 24 to allow for budget defence.