The Senate has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the sole power to determine the mode of transmission of results during elections.
The Senate had in July 2021 passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill with the provision that INEC may consider the electronic transmission of results “provided national [network] coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure” by the Nigerian Communications Commission and approved by the National Assembly.
Under a new amendment of Clause 52 (2) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the Senate resolved that “voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission, which may include electronic voting”.
The Senate passed a new bill which amended some clauses in the Electoral bill, which included sections 52 and 87 on electronic transmission of results and nomination of candidates by political parties.
The bill is titled: “Recommittal of Amended Clauses of a Bill for an Act to repeal the Electoral Bill, 2021 and Enact the Electoral Act, 2021”.
The controversial clause 52(3) is now amended to 52(2), which reads: “Subject to section 63 of this Bill, voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission (INEC), which may include electronic voting.”
On nomination of candidates by parties, the Senate had earlier passed clause 87(1), which allows parties to hold either direct or indirect method of conducting primaries.
The clause is now amended to read: “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Bill shall hold direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the Commission”.
