A new amendment to the Electoral Law denies the Independent National Electoral Commission the power to decide whether to transmit the results of an election electronically.
The lawmakers who passed the law after a rowdy session gave themselves, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) the power to make the call, thereby killing any hope of transmitting results of the 2023 election electronically.
According to the Vanguard Newspaper, the controversial amendment which gave NCC and NASS the power instead of INEC to decide on electronic transmission of results, was supported by 52 senators, including deputy senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege, Oluremi Tinubu, Opeyemi Bamidele, Kabiru Gaya, and others. While 28 senators, including those from Anambra and Ogun were absent.
In the plenary, 28 senators voted that INEC should transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable, as contained in the report under consideration.
According to the Vanguard’s report, confusion erupted during plenary over a disagreement to remove the recommendation of the Committee which allows INEC to transmit election results.
The report said the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe(PDP, Abia South) requested for a division for Nigerians to know who voted against electronic transmission of results.
It was gathered that after the Senate Committee on INEC headed by Senator Kabiru Gaya(APC, Kano South) read the report, Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Sabi Abdullahi(APC, Niger North) moved for an amendment of clause 52(3). The clause reads: “The Commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable.”
But Abdullahi proposed that: “The Commission may consider the electronic transmission of results provided that the national coverage as adjudged by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and approved by the National Assembly.”
The majority of the senators, especially those of the APC, backed the proposal of Abdullahi and voted in support of it.
