Senate Bows To Pressure, To Restore Electronic Transfer Of Results

Faced with growing criticisms over attempts to surreptitiously
remove electronic transmission of results in the draft of the
Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Senate Committee on
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday returned
the controversial clause to the bill., according to Thisday report.^[1]

THISDAY learnt the committee took the decision at an emergency
meeting in Abuja.

The National Assembly has been under fire since Sunday when the
news broke that the new draft bill, which provides for a total ban
of electronic transmission of votes is to be introduced at the
Senate today.

The provision forms part of the 121-page document to be laid
before the upper legislative chamber at plenary by the Chairman of
the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), Senator Kabir Gaya.

But the draft bill was said to be at variance with what was
earlier agreed to by the committees of the two chambers of the
National Assembly.

Critics on Monday had called attempts by the federal legislators
to expunge the electronic transmission of results from the draft
bill as a plot to rig the 2023 general election ahead of time.

The critics had argued that since President Muhammadu Buhari
would not be in contention, the lawmakers were working to the
answer for their own selfish purpose, calling on Nigerians to
resist them.

About 22 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had raised the alarm
over the alleged plan by the National Assembly to pass the bill
without the inclusion of the electronic collation of results in the
bill.

The CSOs, in a statement on Monday, said the manipulation of
Section 50(2) would undermine INEC’s efforts to improve the
election results management regime.

However, sources told THISDAY yesterday that faced with the
growing criticisms, the committee called the meeting to take a
holistic look at the draft of the bill.

It was gathered that some of the committee members, who were
apparently embarrassed by the report that the bill banned the
electronic transmission of election results, expressed concerns and
emphasised the need for the committee to revisit the report.

Some committee members were said to have called the leadership
of the Senate, saying they were not part of the decision by the
committee to insert the clause banning the electronic transfer of
votes.

Based on this, it was impressed upon Gaya, the need for the
committee to meet again yesterday to take another look at all the
clauses contained in the draft bill ahead of its being laid at
today’s plenary.

THISDAY gathered that a meeting of the committee was called at
one of the Senate committee rooms and was attended by 12 committee
members with Gaya presiding.

It was learnt that members of the committee insisted that all
the clauses in the draft bill should be taken one after the other
to avoid any misrepresentation.

When the committee got to page 25 of the document and subtitled
procedure at an election under Section 50(2) of the bill was
reworked to read: “Voting at an election under this bill shall be
in accordance with the procedure determined by the commission
(INEC), which may include electronic voting provided that the
commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means
where and when practicable.”

The meeting lasted for over four hours with the committee
members insisting that the final draft be produced for them to
assent before ending the meeting about 5 pm.

The previous Section 50(2) of the bill had read: “Voting at an
election under this bill shall be in accordance with the procedure
determined by the Commission (INEC), which may include electronic
voting provided that the commission shall not transmit results of
the election by electronic means.”

THISDAY findings revealed that this clause was sneaked into the
draft bill without the knowledge of the committee members.

A member of the Senate committee on INEC told THISDAY that at no
time was that provision discussed at the committee level.
The senator said he now understood the delay in presenting the bill
after the committee had long concluded its work.

He added: “This is not funny at all. I now know why the
presentation of the report had been delayed this long after we
finished our work at the committee level. They have been playing
hide-and-seek on the matter.

“For all I know and other committee members can bear me witness,
the issue of ban on electronic transfer of votes was not part of
the report we wrote. So, that means the committee chairman is
culpable and owes the committee members an explanation over the
strange insertion.”

However, reacting to the allegation of a plot by the National
Assembly to rig the 2023 general election ahead of time, the
President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, said presiding officers
were not tampering with the workings of committees of both chambers
on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021.

He spoke in Abuja during the inauguration of the National
Commissioners of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC).

He said: “Let me seize this opportunity to react to insinuations
being made against the leadership of the National Assembly as
regards the 2010 Electoral Act ( Amendment) Bill 2021, which will
soon be considered and passed at both chambers.

“Leadership or presiding officers of the National Assembly are
not the ones to determine what and what provisions should be in the
report to be presented, making the series of phone calls being made
to us unnecessary.”

House, PDP Caucus, Others Flay Plan to Rig 2023 Election

The House of Representatives also flayed the allegation that the
leadership of the National Assembly was attempting to rig the 2023
general election through the manipulation of the Electoral
Amendment Bill 2021.

In addition, the Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus
of the House, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, said if the lawmakers failed to
include electronic transmission of results and compulsory use of
card reader in the new draft of the bill, then they did not
accomplish anything in the amendment.

Reacting to the allegation that the National Assembly was
planning to rig the future elections, House spokesman, Hon.
Benjamin Kalu, told THISDAY that the bill, when submitted, would be
voted on by the entire House.

“The House cannot say anything on something that is not before
it. The bill, when submitted, will be voted on by the entire House.
If there is any manipulation as alleged by the public, which I
seriously doubt, the committee members will point that out on the
floor and have it debated on in line with parliamentary practice,”
he said.

Chinda told THISDAY that true democrats ought not to be afraid
of the decision of the people.

He said the lawmakers ought to bequeath to Nigerians the
legislation they want with no salt in them.

“If we fail to include electronic transmission of results and
compulsory use of card reader in the new draft of the bill, then we
did not accomplish anything in the amendment,” he stated.

Another lawmaker, Hon. Bede Eke (PDP, Imo), said it was
unbelievable that the National Assembly would pass the bill without
the electronic transmission of results in the 21st century.

He urged his colleagues to give Nigerians an electoral law that
will ensure free and fair elections.

Also reacting, a member representing Donga/Takum/Ussa and Yantu
Federal Constituency of Taraba State in the House of
Representatives, Hon. Rimamde Shawulu, described as worrisome the
strange clauses that were allegedly inserted into the bill.

The lawmaker expressed his concern yesterday while featuring on
‘Good Morning Show’ on ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of
THISDAY.

“In this case, we have not received the report of the Committee
on Electoral Matters. They have not been distributed to members of
the House, the information we have is the same information that the
public has,” he stated.

Also reacting, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) lamented that
the alleged insertion in the bill would jeopardize the integrity of
future elections.

National Chairman of the party, Mr. Falalu Bello, in a statement
yesterday, said it was sad that the National Assembly was poised to
squander yet another opportunity for bringing remarkable
improvement to Nigeria’s electoral legal framework.

However, the spokesperson of the Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru
(APC Osun), advised his colleagues with divergent views to keep
their gun powder dry until the bill is brought up on the floor of
the Senate.

Basiru told THISDAY in a telephone conversation that he was
appalled that senators who are supposed to be familiar with the
process of law-making were playing to the gallery and trying to
conduct the affairs of the Senate on the pages of newspapers.

He said: “At best, what we have is the report of a committee,
which will be brought to the floor for thorough scrutiny. It will
not be passed like that. There is still a lot of room to add and
subtract. It will be subjected to a clause-by-clause debate. That
is what they should prepare for rather than going to the media to
scandalise the institution we all belong to.”

Faced with growing criticisms over attempts to surreptitiously
remove electronic transmission of results in the draft of the
Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Senate Committee on
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday returned
the controversial clause to the bill., according to Thisday report.^[1]

THISDAY learnt the committee took the decision at an emergency
meeting in Abuja.

The National Assembly has been under fire since Sunday when the
news broke that the new draft bill, which provides for a total ban
of electronic transmission of votes is to be introduced at the
Senate today.

The provision forms part of the 121-page document to be laid
before the upper legislative chamber at plenary by the Chairman of
the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), Senator Kabir Gaya.

But the draft bill was said to be at variance with what was
earlier agreed to by the committees of the two chambers of the
National Assembly.

Critics on Monday had called attempts by the federal legislators
to expunge the electronic transmission of results from the draft
bill as a plot to rig the 2023 general election ahead of time.

The critics had argued that since President Muhammadu Buhari
would not be in contention, the lawmakers were working to the
answer for their own selfish purpose, calling on Nigerians to
resist them.

About 22 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had raised the alarm
over the alleged plan by the National Assembly to pass the bill
without the inclusion of the electronic collation of results in the
bill.

The CSOs, in a statement on Monday, said the manipulation of
Section 50(2) would undermine INEC’s efforts to improve the
election results management regime.

However, sources told THISDAY yesterday that faced with the
growing criticisms, the committee called the meeting to take a
holistic look at the draft of the bill.

It was gathered that some of the committee members, who were
apparently embarrassed by the report that the bill banned the
electronic transmission of election results, expressed concerns and
emphasised the need for the committee to revisit the report.

Some committee members were said to have called the leadership
of the Senate, saying they were not part of the decision by the
committee to insert the clause banning the electronic transfer of
votes.

Based on this, it was impressed upon Gaya, the need for the
committee to meet again yesterday to take another look at all the
clauses contained in the draft bill ahead of its being laid at
today’s plenary.

THISDAY gathered that a meeting of the committee was called at
one of the Senate committee rooms and was attended by 12 committee
members with Gaya presiding.

It was learnt that members of the committee insisted that all
the clauses in the draft bill should be taken one after the other
to avoid any misrepresentation.

When the committee got to page 25 of the document and subtitled
procedure at an election under Section 50(2) of the bill was
reworked to read: “Voting at an election under this bill shall be
in accordance with the procedure determined by the commission
(INEC), which may include electronic voting provided that the
commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means
where and when practicable.”

The meeting lasted for over four hours with the committee
members insisting that the final draft be produced for them to
assent before ending the meeting about 5 pm.

The previous Section 50(2) of the bill had read: “Voting at an
election under this bill shall be in accordance with the procedure
determined by the Commission (INEC), which may include electronic
voting provided that the commission shall not transmit results of
the election by electronic means.”

THISDAY findings revealed that this clause was sneaked into the
draft bill without the knowledge of the committee members.

A member of the Senate committee on INEC told THISDAY that at no
time was that provision discussed at the committee level.
The senator said he now understood the delay in presenting the bill
after the committee had long concluded its work.

He added: “This is not funny at all. I now know why the
presentation of the report had been delayed this long after we
finished our work at the committee level. They have been playing
hide-and-seek on the matter.

“For all I know and other committee members can bear me witness,
the issue of ban on electronic transfer of votes was not part of
the report we wrote. So, that means the committee chairman is
culpable and owes the committee members an explanation over the
strange insertion.”

However, reacting to the allegation of a plot by the National
Assembly to rig the 2023 general election ahead of time, the
President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, said presiding officers
were not tampering with the workings of committees of both chambers
on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021.

He spoke in Abuja during the inauguration of the National
Commissioners of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC).

He said: “Let me seize this opportunity to react to insinuations
being made against the leadership of the National Assembly as
regards the 2010 Electoral Act ( Amendment) Bill 2021, which will
soon be considered and passed at both chambers.

“Leadership or presiding officers of the National Assembly are
not the ones to determine what and what provisions should be in the
report to be presented, making the series of phone calls being made
to us unnecessary.”

House, PDP Caucus, Others Flay Plan to Rig 2023 Election

The House of Representatives also flayed the allegation that the
leadership of the National Assembly was attempting to rig the 2023
general election through the manipulation of the Electoral
Amendment Bill 2021.

In addition, the Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus
of the House, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, said if the lawmakers failed to
include electronic transmission of results and compulsory use of
card reader in the new draft of the bill, then they did not
accomplish anything in the amendment.

Reacting to the allegation that the National Assembly was
planning to rig the future elections, House spokesman, Hon.
Benjamin Kalu, told THISDAY that the bill, when submitted, would be
voted on by the entire House.

“The House cannot say anything on something that is not before
it. The bill, when submitted, will be voted on by the entire House.
If there is any manipulation as alleged by the public, which I
seriously doubt, the committee members will point that out on the
floor and have it debated on in line with parliamentary practice,”
he said.

Chinda told THISDAY that true democrats ought not to be afraid
of the decision of the people.

He said the lawmakers ought to bequeath to Nigerians the
legislation they want with no salt in them.

“If we fail to include electronic transmission of results and
compulsory use of card reader in the new draft of the bill, then we
did not accomplish anything in the amendment,” he stated.

Another lawmaker, Hon. Bede Eke (PDP, Imo), said it was
unbelievable that the National Assembly would pass the bill without
the electronic transmission of results in the 21st century.

He urged his colleagues to give Nigerians an electoral law that
will ensure free and fair elections.

Also reacting, a member representing Donga/Takum/Ussa and Yantu
Federal Constituency of Taraba State in the House of
Representatives, Hon. Rimamde Shawulu, described as worrisome the
strange clauses that were allegedly inserted into the bill.

The lawmaker expressed his concern yesterday while featuring on
‘Good Morning Show’ on ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of
THISDAY.

“In this case, we have not received the report of the Committee
on Electoral Matters. They have not been distributed to members of
the House, the information we have is the same information that the
public has,” he stated.

Also reacting, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) lamented that
the alleged insertion in the bill would jeopardize the integrity of
future elections.

National Chairman of the party, Mr. Falalu Bello, in a statement
yesterday, said it was sad that the National Assembly was poised to
squander yet another opportunity for bringing remarkable
improvement to Nigeria’s electoral legal framework.

However, the spokesperson of the Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru
(APC Osun), advised his colleagues with divergent views to keep
their gun powder dry until the bill is brought up on the floor of
the Senate.

Basiru told THISDAY in a telephone conversation that he was
appalled that senators who are supposed to be familiar with the
process of law-making were playing to the gallery and trying to
conduct the affairs of the Senate on the pages of newspapers.

He said: “At best, what we have is the report of a committee,
which will be brought to the floor for thorough scrutiny. It will
not be passed like that. There is still a lot of room to add and
subtract. It will be subjected to a clause-by-clause debate. That
is what they should prepare for rather than going to the media to
scandalise the institution we all belong to.”