The Nigerian senate finally bowed to pressure on Tuesday October 12, rescinding on its decision on some clauses in the Electoral Amendment Bill that w
The Nigerian senate finally bowed to pressure on Tuesday October 12, rescinding on its decision on some clauses in the Electoral Amendment Bill that was passed in July.
One of the clauses, 52, which deals with the methods of voting and collation of results in an election, was ammended to allow for the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC determine the use of electronic voting and transfer of results.
The Senate also amended clause 87 of the bill to mandate political parties to hold only direct primaries for candidates seeking elective positions.
In a motion to recommit some clauses in the bill, to the Committee of the Whole, the Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya, who sponsored the bill, asked that the Senate to “rescind its decision on the affected clause of the bill as passed and recommit same to the committee of the whole for consideration and passage.”
The Street Journal had reported that in July, the Senate empowered the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Assembly to determine the use of electronic transmission of results in an election.
The Senate changed the clause from; “The Commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable” to;
