Rowdy session in Senate over electronic transmission of results

The Senate experienced a rowdy session on Tuesday during debate on the electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The clause under contention is Clause 60.

During the adoption of Votes and Proceedings at plenary, Tahir Monguno raised a motion seeking to rescind Clause 60, which had earlier been passed by the Senate.

Last Thursday, the Senate passed the retained section of the 2022 Electoral Act, which provides that, “The Presiding officer shall, after counting the votes at the polling unit, enter the votes scored by each candidate in a form to be prescribed by the Commission as the case may be.

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“The form shall be signed and stamped by the presiding officer and countersigned by the candidates or their polling agents where available at the polling unit.

“The presiding officer shall give to the polling agents and the police officer where available a copy each of the completed forms after it has been duly signed as provided under sub section 2.

“The presiding officer shall count and announce the result at the polling unit.”

Monguno, while explaining his earlier motion, stated that “Upon careful examination of the Bill, fresh issues have emerged in respect of Clause 60(3), which requires further legislative consideration in order to ensure the conduct of smooth, transparent, and credible elections in Nigeria; and

“Relying on the provisions of Orders I(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended),

Accordingly resolves to, “Rescind its earlier decision on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill as previously passed; and

“Recommit Clause 60(3) to the Committee of the Whole for further reconsideration and passage.”

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His motion was seconded by Senator Abba Moro, the Minority Leader.

The Senate President thereafter put the matter to a voice vote, after which the “ayes” prevailed, supporting the amendment.

The session turned rowdy when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe moved a motion under Order 72, calling for a division.

In parliamentary terms, a division requires senators to physically indicate their positions by moving to either side of the chamber.

Following the heated exchanges, Abaribe later withdrew his motion for a division after Senate President Godswill Akpabio agreed to the request.