The Senate Minority Caucus, earlier today, clarified issues surrounding the electronic transmission of results as provided for in the Electoral Act.
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Recall that the media was awash with reports that the senate had rejected the electronic transmission of results in the process of amending the Electoral Act.
However, while addressing the media Thursday morning, leader of the senate minority caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, standing alongside Senators Austin Akobundu, Abdul Ahmed Ningi, Victor Umeh, Natasha Akpoti, et al, said that the real time electronic transmission of election results was agreed upon by the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives’ electoral committee.
He informed that the joint committee held several retreats on the issue both in Abuja and elsewhere where it was agreed that the electronic transmission of results was the way to go, saying that this was reflected in the report to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Caucus said its members had been inundated with calls and messages over the issue by their constituents, and as representatives answerable to the people, it was only proper for them to address the issue and make clarifications.
He further stated that the Senate set up an ad-hoc committee headed by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire to further review the report of the electoral committee after which the senate entered into a closed-door meeting to consider the report of the Review Committee and address all pending issues so that by the time the report got to plenary, all grey areas would have been adequately dealt with and the Bill would be passed without any rancor.
According to him, “I can assure you on my honour, and on the honour of all of us standing here, that the electoral committee of the Senate, the ad-hoc committee of the Senate, and also in the executive session that we had, that we all agreed on Section 60 (3), which is the electronic transmission of results in real time (I will get the documents of what we passed and distribute same to you, on what we passed).
“Also, at the plenary session yesterday, we also passed it. But because there were a whole lot of people walking around and people talking, so, it now seemed some things were wrong. We went back individually to find out what exactly was done. And we were reassured. And the Senate President, while sitting, and I’m sure you all have the video there, confirmed that we passed the electronic transmission of results.”
“And I will show you what we have. The harmonisation committee was set up yesterday because when the House version and the Senate version differ – because there were so many other things, including timelines, that now differed – you set up a harmonisation committee – those harmonisations are what you use to make sure that we come to a single document which the President will now sign.”
Continuing, the Abia South Senator further said, “But I need to add one more thing so that Nigerians can rest assured; after our plenary session yesterday, we adjourned. We did not come back to adopt the votes and proceedings. And that is our rule. The Harmonisation Committee can not be because the document they will use to go to the Harmonisation is the document passed by us and ratified by the votes and proceedings.
“So, there is still one more step left by the Senate to take. After we’ve passed the votes and proceedings in which we are going to insist and ensure that what we passed, which is electronic transmission, is there. Then the Harmonisation will meet.
“What now happens in Harmonisation is simple. You either adopt the House version or you adopt the Senate version. And, of course, Nigerians know what they want. It is the job of Nigerians also to put pressure and ask questions from their representatives.
“Our own constituents have been sending us messages and asking us questions since yesterday, and we have been telling them that we passed the electronic transmission of results in real time.
“And that is where we are,” he concluded.
