VIDEO:Senate Bows To Pressure,Empowers INEC To Determine Electronic Transmission Of Election Results

After weeks of public outcry, the Senate has reversed its earlier stance on the power of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to carry out an electronic transmission of election results. @SYMFONI

The red chamber has reamended the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 202I to allow the electoral umpire to determine the procedure for transmitting election results. This was just as the upper chamber of the National Assembly also asked political parties to resolve the modality for holding primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.

The amendments were made on Tuesday by the Senate to some clauses of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2021, earlier passed on July 15, 2021. The chamber explained that the decision to subject the amended clauses of the Bill to re-committal was reached after critical examination by the Senate Committee on INEC. The chamber added that some fundamental issues which required new legislative action were observed by the Senator Kabiru Gaya-led Committee in the legislation.

Accordingly, in a motion for were amended, the Senate reamended certain aspects of the Bill contained in clauses 43, 52, 63 and 87, respectively.

The chamber also amended clause 87 to allow political parties to determine the modality for holding primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.

Members of the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 are expected to meet with their counterparts in the House of Representatives to harmonise the two versions passed by both chambers.