BREAKING: Electoral Amendment Act: Chaos in Senate over electronic transmission of result clause

Updated July 15, 20211 Mins read249

Nigeria Senate on Thursday went into chaos over section 52(3) that deals with electronic means of transmitting results.

The Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission chaired by Senator Kabir Gaya had recommended that the Electoral umpire transmit

elections results to avoid rigging, particularly it has been the yearning of Nigerians.

The proceeding went well until Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi suggested an amendment to the clause.

Sabi said: “I am Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, and I want to propose an amendment to Clause 52(3) read that Electoral electronic means of transmission can take place provided that the Commission may adjudge the network. To be adequate and be approved by the National Assembly.”

The amendment was immediately put to the vote before considering other clauses, which Senate President Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan approved.

Some Senators felt that making network adequacy a condition to transmit election results was a means to manipulate results.

Kabir Gaya said: “That the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on the Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 Amendment Bill.