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It was drama, uproar and protest on the floor of the Senate Thursday as the legislators technically “murdered” the hopes of Nigerians to have electronic transmission of election results entrenched in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill under consideration at the National Assembly.
The clause by clause consideration of the controversial bill was going smoothly until the train stopped at Section 50(3) which made discretionary provision for INEC to deploy electronic transmission of election results. Initially, the mood in the red chamber appeared that the lawmakers were favourably disposed to electronic transmission of results.
However, a curious amendment from Sen. Sani Abdullahi won the gavel and a ruling was made to make electronic transmission subject to the approval to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Assembly.
More details later…