Politics
Electoral Act: Rumbles In Senate Over Card Reader, Results’ Electronic Transmission
The plan to save the nation’s electoral process from malpractices by making card reader and electronic transmission of results compulsory during polls, is currently generating controversy in the Senate.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the Senator Kabiru Gaya-led Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, based on input from Nigerians during the public hearing on the ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act, has included the compulsory electronic transfer of votes and card reader, in its report.
The report of the Electoral Act 2010 Amendments Bill is billed for submission any moment from this week, according to a source, who is a member of the INEC panel.
There are, however, strong indications that some forces from outside the chambers have started lobbying their political allies in the Senate to oppose the provision for electronic voting.
A Senator from the South-East geopolitical zone, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, confided in our correspondent that there were actually moves to scuttle the use of electronic transmission of results in the 2023 general elections.
He said, “We all agreed at the commencement of the amendment exercise that we should include electronic voting in the bill but since INEC has told us its limitation regarding that for now, we settled for mandatory use of card readers and electronic transfer of results from the polling units to INEC central server.
“However, the feelers we are getting from some of our colleagues indicate that some people are warming up to reject the inclusion of the proposal in the bill by opposing it during third reading at plenary.
“I wonder for how long some people want to be manipulating election process in Nigeria to their advantage. The peoples’ vote must count. We won’t continue to allow some people to be writing results and imposing them on INEC.”
Another Senator from the South-West geopolitical zone, who also craved anonymity, said he was aware of surreptitious moves by some of his colleagues to oppose the issue of electronic voting and card reader.
He said, “ It is our wish that the card reader and electronic transfer of results be made compulsory by including it in the Electoral Act that we have just amended but some of our people are already opposing that novel idea.
“We have also made up our minds to mobilise our colleagues who have the interest of the country at heart to oppose any evil and wicked plans to rubbish the 2023 elections. The peoples’ vote must count.”
However, some senators who spoke with our correspondent on record said any plan to frustrate the use of electronic voting in the 2023 polls would fail.
They expressed delight that the INEC committee had included the mandatory use of electronic voting as part of their recommendations in their final report which would be presented to the Senate at plenary very soon.
They insisted that passing the amendments to the Electoral Act without specific provision for mandatory use of electronic voting would not make the National Assembly to achieve the intention of the current amendments.
Senator Matthew Urhoghide said he would vote for electronic voting anytime the report of the INEC committee is presented at plenary.
He said, “I’m not pessimistic, I am very optimistic that the electronic voting will be passed with the Electoral Act amendments. I will vote for it.
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“The sanctity of the ballot paper must be upheld. Anybody who subverts it is worse than armed robber.
“What we are saying is that once the vote is cast, it must be transmitted immediately to the server.
“We are insisting that the transmission of results must be done electronically to the server right from the polling unit”.
Also Senator Gershom Bassey said the electronic voting remained the best aspect of the electoral reforms.
He said, “We have not seen the report of the INEC committee yet so it is not good to speculate.
“We will have to wait and see but if we go by what happened during the eighth Assembly when the document was passed and sent to the executive for assent, the issues of electronic transfer of results and compulsory use of card reader was captured.
“It is my expectations that if we want free and fair elections in this country, it is a very crucial aspect of the electoral reforms.
“It is important that when people vote, as we saw in Edo State, as soon as you vote, the results at the polling unit are sent to the central server.
“It is that aggregation without any interference, from collation centres, and all sorts of funny things. It is possible to aggregate the results from the polling unit and come up with the results for the constituency”
Similarly, Senator Frank Ibezim said, “Electronic voting is the way to go because it is what the electorate want.”
Senators Abba Moro and Chukwuka Utazi also held similar view.
They insisted that the use of electronic voting remained the best way to achieve a free, fair and credible elections in the country.
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Alhaji Abubakar disclosed his intention to leave the opposition party in a letter addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Jada, Jada Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa state.
Alhaji Abubakar described his departure from the PDP as “heartbreaking”, saying the party has strayed from the ideals on which it was founded.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the Party,” Alhaji Abubakar said.
“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life.
“As a founding father of this esteemed Party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.
“However, I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for.
“It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.
“I wish the Party and its leadership all the best in the future”, he added.
Alhaji Abubakar’s resignation from the PDP comes days after the opposition coalition politicians adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their political platform for the 2027 elections.
Among the coalition leaders are Rotimi Amaechi, a former Transportation Minister; Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election; Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor; and John Oyegun, former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others include Sule Lamido, former Governor of Jigawa State; Uche Secondus, former PDP National Chairman; Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Niger State; Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi State; Aminu Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State; and Liyel Imoke, former Governor of Cross River State, among others.
A group, ‘Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF),’ has intensified calls on the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The CBSF which comprises members of various political parties, non-partisan citizens and residents of the state also has non-indigenes and people from different religious organisations as members.
Speaking at a world press conference held in Yenagoa, the State capital on Tuesday, the group, through its convener who doubles as Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media/Public Affairs, Snr. Comrade Wisdom Ikuli, passed a confidence vote on Governor Diri, commending his selfless service to the State and the Ijaw nation.
Mr Ikuli averred that there was need for the state to align with the federal government. Citing the benefits of having a government at the centre that can attract development to the state, he noted that the PDP at the national level had been long enmeshed in crisis.
“The current leadership of the PDP under whose platform the governor is leading the state has been hijacked by few individuals. This poses threats to the interest of the state.
“Presently, our state is standing alone as the only PDP state in the whole of the South South region. The above may not be too much an issue. The greatest challenge here is the hijack of the PDP by few individuals and the very dangerous traps that they have set for Bayelsa in 2027, particularly those that intend to fly the flag of PDP.
“There are concluded arrangements to hide under the excuse of crisis and countless court cases in PDP at different levels to work to nullify the nomination of all candidates that will emerge under the party platform. So, we can imagine the pains, agony and disarray that the state shall experience if the state remains in PDP.
“The ongoing Coalition is also an embodiment of people who conspired to deny Bayelsa State and indeed the entire Ijaw Nation, a second term at the Presidency in 2015. Thus, the coalition can never be an option.
“ It is based on the above that we unanimously appeal to the Governor to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to show southern solidarity with other southern governors who are with Mr. President”, the group said.
“But as we move forward, one of the greatest priorities in the alliance with the centre should be the actualisation of the Agge Seaport that will help to boost the state economy and also bring about unimaginable transformation and prosperity. In the next few days we shall begin a daily rally on the streets of Yenagoa to prevail on His Excellency to do the needful.
“Finally, His Excellency should ignore all opposing voices against his defection. We say this because they are all fighting to protect their individual political interest without prioritising that of the state and the entire Ijaw nation.
“ We wish to reassure His Excellency that vast majority of Bayelsans are with him and together, we shall move forward”, the CBSF added.
The group thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing Ijaw sons and daughters into key positions, including Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Chief Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), amongst others.
Meanwhile, the CBSF has also charged Governor Diri to prioritize the actualization of the Agge Deep Seaport project, saying it will boost the economy of the state and bring about transformation and prosperity, noting, however, that plans have reached advanced stages for the CBSF to hit the streets of Yenagoa with rallies with a view to prevailing on the governor to defect to the APC.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Speaker made the call on Wednesday while hosting councillors from the 13 local government areas of the State in his residence in Lafia, the state capital.
Rt Hon. Jatau said that a good working relationship among the arms of government at the council level was key to development, hence, the need for his call in that direction.
He appreciated the councillors for condoling with him over the death of his younger sister, Hajaratu Jatau, and prayed to God to bless them abundantly.
“I started as a councillor, and today I am the Speaker. There is the need for a good working relationship between you and the elected chairmen for development to thrive at the grassroots. It is in view of this that I want to call on you to give your elected chairmen all the necessary and needed support to succeed. For development to thrive at the grassroots, you must embrace one another and see yourselves as team players,” the Speaker said.
Rt Hon. Jatau also called on them to coexist peacefully among themselves and continue to drum up support for Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration to succeed.
Besides, he assured them that the state government would soon organise training for them to deliver effective service.
Rt Hon. Jatau also assured them that the state government would pay them their furniture allowance, as well as other benefits, to enhance their legislative work.
Earlier, the chairman of the Nasarawa State Councillors Forum, Mohammed Madaki, who is the Leader of Lafia LGA Legislative Assembly, said that the visit was to identify with the Speaker over the death of his sister.
The leader of the delegation urged the Speaker to see the death of his sister as an act of God and bear the irreplaceable loss.
Mr Madaki assured the Speaker of their loyalty and support at all times.
The chairman, however, appealed to the Speaker to intervene in the training of the councillors as well as the payment of their furniture allowance.
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