Electronic Transmission Votes: PDP Accuses APC Senators of Derailing Nigeria’s Democracy
- Electronic transmission of results to boost the credibility of Nigeria's electoral process has been rejected by the APC senators
- Most of the senators of the ruling party who voted against the decision say there is no internet connectivity in their domains
- Nigeria's main opposition party, the PDP, says the move indicates that the ruling APC is preparing to rig the 2023 polls
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Nigerian Senate - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed shock over the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate to approve electronic transmission of election results without conditionalities.
The party was reacting to the decision of APC senators to vote against the electronic transmission of election results beginning from 2023.
Source: Getty Images
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PDP lambasts APC senators
The PDP described the action of the ruling party's senators as a plan to undermine Nigeria's electoral process.
Parts of a statement sent to Legit.ng by the PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan read:
“The action of the APC senators is an atrocious assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up to the Senate for improvement in our electoral process in a manner that will engender a free, fair, and credible process.
“It is outrageous that the APC and its senators, in their desperate bid to annex the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seek to route a statutorily independent commission to the approval of an individual masquerading in the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC); an agency under executive control in addition to an extra endorsement of the legislature, before conducting elections.
“This action of the APC senators is a direct affront, novel in its recklessness and a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which clearly conferred operational independence to INEC to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from any other agency of government.
“The decision of the APC senators, therefore, amounts to a suspension of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which is a recipe for crisis that could derail our democracy and destabilize our nation.
“It is, to say the least, a preparation for mass rigging of elections across Nigeria by the APC, which must be firmly resisted.”
Former presidential media aide reacts
In his reaction, former presidential media aide, Reno Omokri, said the claim by the APC senators that only 43% of Nigeria is covered with a good network is false.
Writing on his Facebook page, Omokri asks:
"This same government claimed that they sent N-Power payment alerts to every local government area in Nigeria. Please research it. Which network did they use to achieve that?"
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the disagreements over the adjustment of section 52(3) of the electoral act amendment bill, which deals with electronic transmission of results, plunged the Senate into a rowdy session on Thursday, July 15.
The uproar began after a resolution was made to amend section 52 (3) by removing the powers of INEC to determine the use of electronic transmission of results.
The controversial amendment provided that INEC may consider electronic transmission so far the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by Nigeria Communication Commission and approved by the National Assembly.
Legit.ng had also listed all the senators who voted for or against the decision.
While PDP senators voted overwhelmingly for the exercise to begin in 2023, their APC counterparts voted against drawing outrage from Nigerians.
Many have described the decision of the APC senators to ditch the transparent method of result collation as an excuse to manipulate election results in 2023.
Source: Legit.ng
