Electronic Transmission: National Assembly Must Listen to INEC – Jega

• Jega said any provision of the law that contradicts the use of electronic transmission of results for the 2023 elections must be amended.
• Jega requested that the bicameral assembly’s harmonisation committees give INEC’s proposals “serious consideration.”

Ekohotblog reports that former Independent National Election Commission (INEC) Chairman Attahiru Jega believes the national assembly must accept the agency’s suggestions to prevent ambiguity in the electoral legislation.

His remarks came only weeks after Festus Okoye, INEC’s national commissioner, stated that paragraph 63 of the electoral statute has a provision that contradicts the requirement for electronic transmission of results in clause 52 of the act.

He had urged the harmonisation committees and the national assembly to modify the confusing clauses so that they would not be utilized by politicians with self-serving objectives to exploit legal gaps for political gain.

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Jega stated on Tuesday’s Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television program, that there is a need to harmonise the terms of the legislation in order to eliminate ambiguity and inconsistencies in electoral activities.

He requested that the bicameral assembly’s harmonisation committees give INEC’s proposals “serious consideration.”

The former INEC chief said any provision of the law that contradicts the use of electronic transmission of results for the 2023 elections must be amended.

“If the national assembly can generally continue to be receptive to genuine concern of citizens in the manner in which they do their legislation, this country would be better for it,” he said.

“There is a need to harmonise provision of the electoral act so that one provision does not contradict another and so that at the end of it those that want to cause mischief will not exploit the ambiguity and contradictory provisions in the law.

“It behooves the two committees of the house and senate that are sitting to harmonise the provisions of the bill to also give serious consideration to suggestions made by INEC.

“It is a value addition that can continue to improve the operations and conduct of elections in our country.

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“There is no doubt that we have to go in the direction of electronic transmission of results and where there is any provision that can affect or negate or constrain that effort to transmit results electronically, those provisions need to be carefully looked at and then necessary amendments also exerted.

“The national assembly needs to pay attention to the very important issue that has been raised.

“The harmonisation committee of the national assembly should do the needful in addressing these provisions of the electoral bill that are being raised by INEC.

“In creating a legal framework for the operations of election, it is important that the national assembly listens to the recommendation of INEC.”