The Nigerian Senate accepted electronic transmission of election results on Tuesday, a position that was outlined in a report delivered to the chamber by the Conference Committee.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the right to transmit election results without subjecting its decision to any other organ, as a provision in section 53 of the Electoral Amendment Act stipulates.
The adoption was not without controversy, which the presiding Senate President managed to calm down.
Senator Adamu Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi State, encouraged Senators to approve the amendment in order to deepen democracy in his contribution before it was adopted in the Committee of the Whole.
He said: This is a move that will deepen our democracy and a move that will make the electorate to vote according to their conscience. This will put paid to criminals having their way as people of questionable character can no longer be voted.
Senator Smart Adeyemi of Kogi West voted against the amendment to clause 87, which deals with political party direct primaries. He was a staunch supporter of several political parties who lacked the resources to have direct primaries. Indirect primaries, he believes, should be left to party officials.
Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele of the Ekiti Central Senatorial District, on the other hand, believes that any card-carrying member of a political party should be able to vote for their candidates.
He believes that a direct party primary, in which all party members vote for aspirants, is more democratic than an indirect primary, in which a few party officials vote for aspirants.
“I support this motion and like to mention specifically that in clause 87 that every card-carrying member of any political party should be able to vote and it is a way of giving power back to the people.
“This is not about any political party, every political party will enjoy this, therefore, let every party member have the opportunity to vote who they wanted.”
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari of Oyo North echoed this sentiment in his statement, adding that those who oppose direct primaries are fearful, and that if a candidate is as popular as he believes, he or she should not be afraid.
“Let’s practice democracy in accordance with the global best practices. I see no reason why anybody should be afraid of direct primaries as it goes to solve problems of aspirants.
Senator Shuaibu Lau of Taraba North Senatorial District cautioned against tying political parties to a certain method of holding primaries. He believes that the manner in which primaries are held should be left to the discretion of the parties.
He maintained: “I agree with amendment of clause 87 which has to do with political party primaries.
We must, therefore, not tie parties to one way traffic of conducting primaries and not because there are beliefs that governors are hijacking parties and not free parties to democratically elect their leaders.
When the chamber resorted to the committee of the whole, the electronic means of transmitting election results was passed, while political parties are to determine how their primaries are conducted.
