Senate Passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill, Approves Electronic Transmission Of Results

The decision was reached by the lawmakers following their resumption after three weeks of recess to attend to the 2022 budget defence.

The Upper chamber had constituted a seven-man conference committee to meet with members of the House of Representatives Conference Committee and harmonize the differences in the Senate and House versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The approval followed an amendment to Clause 52(3) of the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North) during the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Committee's had initially recommended in Clause 52(3) that "The Commission (INEC) may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable."

Recall that the Senate had earlier declared 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".