National assembly cuts off electronic transmission of election results

By theGazetteNGR

Editorinchief

Posted: July 5, 2021 at 2:15 PM, Updated: September 21, 2022 at 7:47 AM

The measure to repeal and re-enact the 2010 electoral act has been in the works for some years.Nigeria’s national assembly leadership has vetoed the intended electronic transmission of election results.

According to a copy of the final draft acquired by reporters, MPs are likely to adopt the electoral act modification bill, but the amendment crushes hopes of significant improvements that would come with the proposed law.

The measure to repeal and re-enact the 2010 electoral act has been in the works for some years.

President Muhammadu Buhari declined to sign it into law in 2018, claiming that it would jeopardize the 2019 elections.

The joint committees of the senate (INEC) and the house of representatives (electoral issues) established a technical committee to work on the proposed change as part of attempts to approve the law before the next round of general elections in 2023.

The Independent National Electoral Commission must define the method for voting in elections and transmitting results under the act, according to the committee’s recommendations.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

But the provision, contained in section 50 (2) of the bill, was modified by the leadership of both chambers in the approved version to read:

â€œVoting in an election under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission, which may include electronic voting, PROVIDED that the Commission shall not transmit results of elections by electronic means.â€

Despite INEC’s repeated concerns that it lacked the
authority to withhold certificates of return from candidates proclaimed
election victors under duress, the national parliament repealed the recommendation that would have given the commission that authority.

The
electoral umpire withheld Rochas Okorocha’s certificate of return in
2019, claiming that he was proclaimed victor of the Imo west senatorial election under duress, but an Abuja court found that the electoral body
lacked such authority.

INEC, therefore, petitioned the National
Assembly to include such rights in the revised election legislation,
claiming that

‘declarations and returns must be made voluntarily and not
through duress and other unwholesome practices’

The power was provided with an extra clause in the proposed amendment, but it was not included in the final version received.

Section 65 (1) of the proposed amended act states that the decision of
the returning officer shall be final on any question arising from
declaration of scores of candidates and return of a candidate

â€œprovided
that the Commission hall have the power within seven days to review the
declaration and return where the commission determines that the said
declaration and return was not made voluntarily or was made contrary to
the provision of the Law, Regulation and Guidelines, and Manual for the
electionâ€.

However, the clause was removed from the final version of the law, thereby depriving the commission of its ability to refuse to give a certificate of return to a candidate who was compelled to be declared the winner by the returning officer.

Despite popular criticism that election expenditures should be regulated to allow for candidates and political parties with little financial resources, federal lawmakers agreed to increase presidential candidate expenses by 200 per cent.

Section 88 of the proposed amendment set a cap of N5 billion for presidential candidates and N1 billion for gubernatorial candidates, respectively.

Candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives had expenditure limits of N100 million and N70 million, respectively.

However, in the approved version, the cap on election costs for a presidential candidate was lifted to N15 billion, while the maximum for a governor was hiked to N5 billion.

Senators and members of the House of Representatives were likewise limited to N1.5 billion and N500 million in expenditures, respectively.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a breaking news tip, celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the theGazetteNGR entertainment team by emailing us [email protected]gr.com, calling 08051600130 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.