By Nefishetu Yakubu
The Senate on Tuesday rescinded its earlier decision on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act relating to electronic transmission of election results.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the senate had earlier passed the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill, retaining Clause 60(3) of the principal law, which provided for transfer of results during the Feb. 4 plenary.
NAN also reports that the earlier passage had generated heated debates among Nigerians, particularly on provisions regarding electronic transmission of results from polling units.
At the emergency plenary on Tuesday, the Chief Whip, Sen. Mohammed Monguno, sought the senate approval to rescind his earlier motion adopted during the Feb. 4 sitting.
The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro.
Moving the motion, Monguno recalled the passage of the Electoral Act Repeal and Enactment Bill by the senate last Wednesday.
“Note that upon careful examination of the bill, fresh issues have emerged in respect of clause 60(3), requiring further legislative consideration for smooth, transparent elections.
“Relying on the provisions of Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023, as amended, I hereby move accordingly.
“That I resolve to rescind my earlier motion on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Bill, as previously passed by the senate to replace ‘transfer’ with ‘transmit’.
“I also move that clause 60(3) be recommitted to the committee of the whole for further reconsideration and passage.
“The reason behind this amendment is that I was the one who moved the motion for the retention of the existing act.
“The controversy that it has generated has led me to rescind the decision,” Monguno stated.
During the reconsideration of the motion, the senate adopted all the clauses of the Electoral Act amendment bill after extensive deliberations by lawmakers.
NAN reports that clause 60(3) was amended to mandate electronic transmission of results from polling units to IReV after EC8A forms might have been signed and stamped.
The amendment specified the signing by the presiding officer and available party agents at polling units before the electronic transmission.
It also provided that where electronic transmission failed due to communication issues, the EC8A form signed or countersigned shall remain primary.
The amendment further stated that in such cases, the signed EC8A shall serve as the basis for collation and declaration of election results.
The amended clause 60(3) reads: “that results shall be transmitted electronically from each polling unit to IReV.
“And such transmission shall be done after the prescribed EC8A has been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and party agents who are available at the polling unit.
“Provided that if the electronic transmission of the result fails as a result of communication failure, the result contained in form EC8A signed by the presiding officer and/or countersigned by the polling agents shall, in such a case, be the primary source of coalition and declaration of results.”
NAN reports that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, thereafter, listed the names of the conference committee, chaired by Simon Lalong (APC-Plateau South) and other members to harmonise the electoral act for the president’s assent.
(NAN)