The Senate, yesterday, adopted electronic transmission of election results, a position that was contained in the Conference Committee report submitted to the chamber, just as it also approved an amendment to the Electoral Act, which provides that political parties would henceforth use only the direct mode of primaries to elect candidates for elections.
But in a quick reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the passage, yesterday, by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate of direct primary for the nomination of candidates for election, in all political parties, “as a retrogressive provision that seeks to wipe off all the gains achieved in our electoral practice since 1999.”
The electronic transmission of election results which is a proviso in Clause 53 of the Electoral Amendment Act places on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the right to transmit results without subjecting their discretion to any other organ as was firstly captured that generated controversy.
Adoption was not, however, without heated debate, which was brought under control by the presiding Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan.
Before the adoption in the Committee of the Whole, former Kebbi State governor, Senator Adamu Aliero, in his submission, urged senators to support the amendment in order to strengthen democracy.
He said: “This is a move that will deepen our democracy and a move that will make the electorate to vote according to their conscience. This will put paid to criminals having their way as people of questionable character can no longer be voted”.
Senator Smart Adeyemi representing Kogi West opposed the amendment on Clause 87 which deals with direct primaries of political parties.
He advocated strongly for some political parties who lack the capacity to organise direct primaries.
Adeyemi said it should be left for party executives to conduct indirect primaries.
However, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District said every card-carrying member of a political party should be allowed to vote for their aspirants.
According to him, the mode of party primary, which is determined by all party members, would be more democratic than indirect where a few party executives vote for aspirants.
“I support this motion and like to mention specifically that in Clause 87 that every card-carrying member of any political party should be able to vote and it is a way of giving power back to the people.
“This is not about any political party, every political party will enjoy this, therefore, let every party member have the opportunity to vote who they want.”
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari representing Oyo North corroborated in his submission, saying those opposed to direct primaries were afraid, wondering that if a contestant was as popular as he thinks, then, he or she needed not to be afraid.
“Let’s practice democracy in accordance with the global best practices. I see no reason why anybody should be afraid of direct primaries as it goes to solve problems of aspirants.
Senator Shuaibu Lau representing Taraba North Senatorial District called for caution in not tying political parties to a form of conducting primaries.
He said the mode of conducting primaries should be left for parties to decide.
He maintained: “I agree with amendment of Clause 87 which has to do with political party primaries.
“We must, therefore, not tie parties to one way traffic of conducting primaries and not because there are beliefs that governors are hijacking parties and not free parties to democratically elect their leaders”.
When the chamber resorted to the Committee of the Whole, the electronic means of transmitting election results was passed, while political parties are to determine how their primaries are conducted.
However, the Senate has approved an amendment to the Electoral Act, which provides that political parties would henceforth use only the direct mode of primaries to elect candidates for elections.
The Senate had earlier approved a provision in the Electoral Bill that allowed parties to use either direct or indirect mode of primaries in nominating candidates for elections during primaries.
The resolutions of the Upper Chamber followed a motion titled: “Motion for Recommittal” sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North).
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the passage, yesterday, by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate of direct primary for the nomination of candidates for election, in all political parties, “as a retrogressive provision that seeks to wipe off all the gains achieved in our electoral practice since 1999.”
This is as the party said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, that the decision by the APC-controlled Senate “is a humongous blow to the development of democratic norms and a plot to introduce anarchy during internal party elections as currently obtainable in the APC.”
The statement read: “The PDP holds that the provision is aimed at increasing the costs of nomination procedures thereby surrendering the processes to money bags against the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians.
“Our party makes bold to state that with the exception of the APC, which intends to deploy looted funds in future election, hardly will there be any political party that will be able to raise the cost of conducting internal elections under a direct primary process.
“This is why the decision of the Senate has elicited widespread rejection from Nigerians across board.
“The PDP, therefore, urges the Senate to immediately deploy its appropriate legislative instruments to reverse itself on the direct primary as it is not operable and does not reflect the wishes and aspiration of majority of Nigerians.”