The former Governor of Anambra State and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, on Monday led a group of protesters to the National Assembly Complex in Abuja over the Senate’s rejection of real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Among the protesters are students, Civil Society groups, members of the ADC, and the Obidient Movement — a group of Obi’s supporters.
“Allow the elections to go through the normal process. Whoever wins, we would accept,” Obi said as the demonstrators chanted solidarity slogans and songs.
New Telegraph recalls that the Senate passed the Electoral Act amendment bill after a five-hour clause-by-clause deliberation on Wednesday, February 4.
One of the amendments reduced the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish a notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.
The Senate also ruled out real-time transmission of election results and retained the provision for electronic transfer of results as provided for in the 2022 Electoral Act.
READ ALSO:
The resolution immediately sparked wide outrage and condemnation across social media platforms. At the epicentre of the controversy is clause 60(3) of the amendment bill.
The proposed amendment reads: “The presiding officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and/or countersigned by the candidates or polling unit agents, where available at the polling unit.”
It clearly stated that this must occur after Form EC8A has been signed and stamped. Form EC8A is used to record political party votes at the polling units.
This amendment intends to make electronic transmission compulsory, ensure it is in real-time, and link it directly to IReV. In other words, it would have transformed electronic transmission from a discretionary exercise into a legal duty.
But the Senate rejected this proposal. Instead, it adopted section 60(5) of the existing Electoral Act 2022, which says: “The presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission”.
In the wake of the uproar, the Senate on February 8 scheduled an emergency plenary sitting for Tuesday, February 10.
In the notice, Emmanuel Odo, clerk of the senate, said the sitting was convened on the directive of Godswill Akpabio, president of the senate.
