Nigerian Senate Passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill, Approves Electronic Transmission of Results.
The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, The Senate, on Tuesday during the planery, passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
It also gave an approval on electronic transmission of results.
This came after the lawmakers resumed following a three week recess.
Recall that it was a bone of contention whether or not the Senate would reconsider the electoral act amendment bill empowering the Independent National Electoral Commission to determine the best mode of transmission of election results.
We had earlier reported that the upper legislative chamber approved that all political parties must use the direct primary mode in picking candidates.
The Senate approved four clauses in the electoral act amendment bill.
On July 15, the Senate session turned rowdy over discussions on the electoral act amendment bill.
Nigerian Senate Approves Electronic Transmission of Results.
A heated argument as said to have broken out when the Senate deputy whip, Sabi Abdullahi, proposed an amendment to section 50 (3) of the electoral bill.
“The commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable,” the section reads.
Abdullahi had proposed that the Nigerian Communications Commission must certify that national coverage is adequate and secure while the national assembly must approve before the Independent National Electoral Commission can transmit election results.
But Albert Bassey, the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East, in his reactions, kicked against the idea and said the initial proposal made by the committee should be retained.
The upper legislative chamber subsequently moved into a closed session following the back and forth over the matter.
Afterwards, the Nigerian Communications Commission had said Nigeria did not have adequate network coverage in its 119,000 polling units to enable the electronic transmission of election results.
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