Senate bows to public pressure, allows INEC to transmit results electronically

The Senate has rescinded its decision and has now said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can transmit election results where and when practicable.

This decision is following public outcry against the senate electoral amendment act bill which stipulated the electoral body may only “consider electronic transmission of results, provided the national coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the National Communications Commission (NCC) and approved by the National Assembly.”

The above conditional approval was rebuked by the public because the electoral body according to Nigerians ought to be Independent and thus shouldn’t request approval from any other Agency before making a decision on the transmission of electoral results electronically.

The new decision of the Senate was listed in the Order Paper of the red chamber which reads; “Relying on order 1(b) and 53( b) of Senate Standing Order accordingly resolves to rescind its decision on the affected Clauses of the Bill as passed and re-commit same to the Committee of the Whole for consideration and passage.”

The Senate president, Ahmad Lawan had earlier in defence of the Electoral Act (which the public bashed) claimed that the Upper Chamber voted the way it did in defence of about half of the Nigerian voters whose votes may not be counted.