Nigerian Senate, Thursday, passed amendments to the Electoral Act 2010, approving the use of electronic voting in future elections.
The Senate, also approved that election results should be electronically transmitted to collation centers. The passage of bill followed the consideration of the report of the
Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
on a Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 and for
other related matters (SB 231 and SB 234).
Major highlights of the new bill include provision for the use of
electronic voting by INEC during future elections, use of Card Reader
and also gives INEC power to modify the voting process if there is a
challenge.
The Senate also approved a provision to enable INEC transmit the
result of elections electronically in an encrypted and secured manner to
prevent hacking.
To address the incident that happened in Kogi State, during last
gubernatorial election, the amended Electoral Act provides that if a
candidate dies before results of elections are declared, the results
will not only remain valid but belongs to the political party that lost
its candidate.
It also added that in such a scenario, the INEC should suspend the
elections for 21 days during which period the affected political party
will conduct fresh primaries to choose a new candidate.
The Bill also gives political parties power to adopt direct or
indirect primaries in choosing their flag bearers, while qualification
of disqualification of candidates for elections will be solely based on
the Constitution.
In his comments after the adoption of the report by the Red Chamber,
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, thanked his colleagues for a job well
done and expressed optimism that the Bill would further improve the
nation’s electoral system and also contribute to good governance.
Saraki said: “Distinguished colleagues, let me thank all of you for this job well done.
“I want to particularly thank the members of the Committee on INEC
and particularly the former chairman of the Committee, Abubakar Kyari,
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and all the members of the committee who have
worked very hard to ensure the passage of this very important bill which
addresses our electoral process and goes on to strengthen our
democracy.
“We have touched on new areas which I believe will improve the
credibility of our elections and by so doing, definitely improve our
democracy and good governance.
“Most importantly, I think, are some of the new sections we have
added, in the area of technology, the smart card reader, and
particularly the area of collation which has been an area of great
concern.
“Collation of results after the polling units and some of the
additions we put on the electronic way by which the compilation of
results can be done, I think will go a long way to reduce some of the
irregularities we have seen before.
“This is a great work you have been able to put together today and I
want to commend everybody. I am also happy that we have passed the
amendments very early. My concern has always been that if we don’t do it
now, it will get more difficult as we get blowed to the 2019 elections.
“We hope that with this Bill that we have passed, very soon, we will
sit together with the House of Representatives to be able to get the
copy to the President for assent.
“I think when signed into law, it will enable INEC to have something
to work early enough. I think what we have done today will really put
our electoral law among the best that we have and it will go a long way
in improving our electoral process,” he said.