The National Assembly is now set to include provisions for the electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Amendment bill.
This follows pressure from Nigerians that the lawmakers took out that clause from the legislation.
It is also not unrelated to the “over 900 distress text messages” that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, received from Nigerians accusing him and his colleagues of manipulating details of the bill to their favour.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the lawmakers had attempted to reject and omit proposals and key priority amendments canvassed by citizens during the public hearings – some of which include the use of electronic transmission of results of an election and expenses for presidential candidates.
Section 50(2) of the previous draft read: “Voting in an election under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission, which may include electronic voting, PROVIDED that the Commission shall not transmit results of elections by electronic means.”
However, in the new draft which the lawmakers are set to pass later today (Thursday), a new Section, 49, was modified to include electronic transmission of results.
“Voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission,” read the new version presented at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Although this clause does not clearly mention the use of electronic transmission of result, it however, gives INEC the power to decide which method to use. And the electoral umpire has on several occasions, canvassed for electronic transmission of results.
In the amended bill, INEC is also given the powers to review results declared by an electoral officer under duress.
