BREAKING: Senate adopts electronic transmission of election results

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The Nigerian Senate adopts electronic transmission of election results.
Adoption was not without controversy, which was brought under control by the sitting Senate President.

Ekohotblog reports that the Nigerian Senate accepted electronic transmission of election results on Tuesday, a stance reflected in the Conference Committee report given to the chamber.

The electronic transmission of election results, which is a provision in clause 53 of the Electoral Amendment Act, gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the authority to transmit results without delegating that authority to any other organ, as was first captured, which sparked controversy.

However, adoption was not without controversy, which was brought under control by the sitting Senate President.

Senate President

Before the adoption in the Committee of the whole, Senator Adamu Aliero and former governor of Kebbi State in his submission urged Senators to support the amendment in order to strengthen democracy.

He said: This is a move that will deepen our democracy and a move that will make the electorate to vote according to their conscience. This will put paid to criminals having their way as people of questionable character can no longer be voted.

Senator Smart Adeyemi of Kogi West voted against the amendment to section 87, which deals with political party direct primaries. He was an outspoken supporter of several political parties that lack the resources to have direct primaries. He believes that indirect primaries should be left to party officials.

Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele of Ekiti Central Senatorial District, on the other hand, believes that every card-carrying member of a political party should be able to vote for its aspirants.

According to him, a direct party primary chosen by all party members would be more democratic than an indirect primary in which a few party officials vote for hopefuls.

“I support this motion and like to mention specifically that in clause 87 that every card-carrying member of any political party should be able to vote and it is a way of giving power back to the people.

“This is not about any political party, every political party will enjoy this, therefore, let every party member have the opportunity to vote who they wanted.”

Senator Abdulfatai Buhari representing Oyo North corroborated in his submission, saying those opposed to direct primaries were afraid, wondering that if a contestant was as popular as he thinks, then he or she needed not to be afraid.

“Let’s practice democracy in accordance with the global best practices. I see no reason why anybody should be afraid of direct primaries as it goes to solve the problems of aspirants.

Senator Shuaibu Lau representing Taraba North Senatorial district called for caution in not tieing political parties to a form of conducting primaries. He said the mode of conducting primaries should be left for parties to decide.

He maintained: “I agree with amendment of clause 87 which has to do with political party primaries.

We must, therefore, not tie parties to one way traffic of conducting primaries and not because there are beliefs that governors are hijacking parties and not free parties to democratically elect their leaders.

When the chamber resorted to the committee of the whole, the electronic means of transmitting election results was passed, while political parties are to determine how their primaries are conducted.

Ify Davies