Senate gives INEC discretionary powers on electronic transmission of elections results in amended Electoral Act

The Senate of the Nigerian National Assembly on Thursday adopted discretionary electronic transmission of elections results at the convenience of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Senators who voted along party lines on section 52(3) of the electoral act amendment bill on electronic transmission of election results, endorsed the discretionary use by INEC in a split decision of 52 Senators the APC voting for the amendment as proposed by Senator Sabi Abdullahi, and 28 Senators of the PDP who voted for the original amendment in the report.

The APC Senators voted that INEC may consider electronic transmission provided the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by NCC and approved by the National Assembly.

Tumultuous session

The Senate earlier had a rowdy session in the amendment of section 52(3) of the electoral act amendment bill.

Senator Sabi Abdullahi from Niger State had moved for the amendment of the contentious section of the act giving discretionary powers to the INEC to determine the adoption of electronic transmission of result in an election, which was seconded by Senator Ali Ndume. The amendment clause added that provided that INEC may consider electronic transmission so far the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by Nigeria Communication Commission and approved by the National Assembly.

The Senate President lost control of the proceedings in the upper chamber, compelling the Senate to go into a closed-door session.

At the end of the closed-door session, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinaya Abaribe, called for a division challenging the Senate President’s ruling on clause 52(3) on electronic transmission. This led to the voting in which APC senators overwhelmingly endorsed discretionary powers of the INEC to determine the use of electronic transmission of result in elections.