Electronic Transmission of Election Results: NASS Playing With ‘Fire’

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has condemned the National Assembly, saying they betrayed Nigerians concerning the amendment of the Electoral Act.

The former Minister and Vice President of the World Bank, said the Nigerian Senate and House of Representative fell short of the expectations and betrayed Nigerians as their action undermines electoral reforms in the country.

Ezekwesili also warned the NASS to stop playing with fire, as she accused the lawmakers in both chambers of pursuing personal interests as the amendment was not done in the interest of Nigerians.

For instance, not a few Nigerians have slammed the lawmakers following reports that the clause requiring  electronic transmission of elections results, as being demanded by Nigerians, was not included in the current amendment of the Electoral Act passed by the Senate and House of Representatives.

Following the report, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, denied it, saying the clause has been retained in the amended Act, waiting for the president’s assent.

Also, Some senators, on Thursday in Abuja, the nation’s capital addressed some journalists on the issue, saying all the senators agreed that the clause must be retained. Senator Eyinanya Abaribe, representing Abia led other senators, including Senators Natasha Akpoti-Udughan, Aminu Tambuwal, and other to the briefing, saying the clause has been retained.

Reacting, Ezekwesili urged the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives, to stop playing with ‘fire’ saying any attempt to stop election results from being transmitted electronically will create a “loophole’ for election rigging and manipulation.

She said Nigerians now consider the Nigerian Senate as an “ignoble’ institution that has lost public trust, noting that their decision not to retain Section 60 of the Electoral Act 2022, specifically subsection (5) which requires electronic transfer of election results by Electoral Officers is self serving.

She stressed that by failing to legalise real-time electronic upload of election results, NASS has wittingly left the mode of transmitting election results to the discretion of the  Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, thereby creating an ambiguity in the nation’s electoral laws.

The lawmakers’ action, she stated, fell short of the expectations of many well meaning Nigerians who have expect them to do better.

“The wisest and free advice that the Nigerian Senate as well as the House of Representatives can receive from all well-meaning citizens of our country now is to know when to stop playing with fire,” Ezekwesili said, adding that the Senate has been very consistent in disappointing Nigerians.

“Nigerians mostly see the Senate as an ignoble and withering institution that delights in deliberate betrayal of public trust. “Our lawmakers at large are well known for consistently prioritising personal and partisan interests over constituent welfare.”

Senate Denies The Report

According to the Senate, the report that it rejected the electronic transmission of election results during consideration of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, is untrue.

Senator Akpabio insisted that the report was misleading, stressing that the Senate did not remove electronic transmission from the law.

Akpabio: “Distinguished colleagues, the social media is already awash with reports that the Senate has literally rejected electronic transmission of results. That is not true. What we did was to retain the electronic transmission which has been in the act and was used in 2022.

“So please, do not allow people to confuse you. If you are in doubt, we will make our final votes and proceedings available to you if you apply.

“This Senate under my watch has not rejected the electronic transmission of results. It is in my interest as a participant in the next election for such to be done. So please don’t go with the crowd.

“We have retained what was in the previous provision by way of amendment. That was all we did. The previous provision has made allowance for electronic transmission. So it is still there as part of our law. We cannot afford to be going backwards” Akpabio said.