*Commotion forces House to adjourn decision till todayDeji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah, Adedayo Akinwale, Udora Orizu in Abuja, Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu, John Shiklam in Kaduna and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The senators, with marching orders from their party, All Progressives Congress , buckled and deployed their majority in the Senate to weaken the quest for electronic transmission of poll results in the 2023 election cycle The House couldn’t conclude the legislative process of passing the bill yesterday due to commotion over allegation that the presiding officer, House Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Wase, was trying to rig the voice votes in favour of opponents of electronic transmission of results.
During the consideration of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021, containing 154 clauses, it was looking like a smooth passage for the draft legislation until the senators got to clause 52 of the bill, that provided for electronic transmission of election results. Attempts by the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, to rule in favour of Sabi’s motion was rejected by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe , who called for a division of the senators to vote on clause 52 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
He claimed that the South-east had neither stable electricity nor sufficient telecommunication coverage to guarantee efficient transmission of results. At the end of the voting, which lasted for about 40 minutes, a total of 80 senators participated, out of which 52, voted for the amendment made by Abdullahi, and 28 voted for the original provision of the clause.However, sources told THISDAY that some of the absentee senators were in the chambers before the commencement of voting and excused themselves later.
He said: “We have gone through probably the most rigorous process we ever had. We had at a point had to go through a division, but that is democracy. No hard feelings and I’m sure that Nigerians will appreciate the debt of concern by all of us here. Those who voted for amendments and those who voted against, each one of us did so out of conviction for what we believe will be better for this country.
Addressing newsmen after the plenary, Senate spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said the lawmakers tried to persuade Abaribe to have a change of mind.
U guys have moved away from been a media house to a Opposition mouth piece. This is shameful. So when ur party loses in the next elections, u will wail that it was rigged.
They will still be defeated anyway. Enough of these Anti Progressive Congress