…Electoral Act ready for Buhari’s assent in 7 days – Reps
The Senate and the House of Representatives have passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and approved the electronic transmission of election results.
The approval was given yesterday, when the lawmakers resumed plenary after a three-week recess.
A 7-man Conference Committee had been constituted by the Upper chamber to meet with members of the House of Representatives conference C’ttee and harmonise the differences in the Senate and House versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Under a new amendment of Clause 52 (2) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the Senate resolved that “voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission, which may include electronic voting”.
Shortly after the Senate’s approval, the House Of Representatives also passed the Bill, completing the process of amending the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The Electoral Amendment Bill will be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent in the next seven days, spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said.
Kalu stated this while briefing newsmen alongside the chairman of the House Conference Committee on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, after the two Chambers adopted the report of the committee.
Recall that on October 12, the Senate had bowed to pressure and given the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), the sole power to determine the mode of transmission of election results.
This followed the reversal of its earlier decision that INEC may consider the electronic transmission of results “provided national (network) coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure” by the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) and approved by the National Assembly.
The Senate and House of Representatives had passed different versions of the Bill in July, after which both chambers set up conference committees to harmonise the differences in the proposed legislation, especially with regards to electronic transmission of election results.
Section 52 of the Bill passed by the Senate, empowers INEC to determine the procedure for the transmission of results during the general elections. The Bill, as passed by the House of Representatives, gives INEC the sole power to transmit results of elections by electronic means “where and when practicable”.
However, in the conference committee report, both chambers empowered INEC to determine the best mode to transmit election results, including electronic transfer. They also adopted direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the electoral body.
Similarly, the chairman of the Conference Committee, Adeyemi said the National Assembly has finally concluded its own side of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and the next phase is the presidential assent.
