Obi leads protesters to n’assembly over senate’s rejection of real-time transmission of election results

 

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, has led a group of protesters to the National Assembly Complex in Abuja over the senate’s rejection of real-time electronic transmission of election results.

Among the protesters are student and civil society groups, some members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Obidient Movement — a group of Obi’s supporters.

“Allow the elections to go through the normal process. Whoever wins, we would accept,” Obi said as the demonstrators chanted solidarity slogans and songs.

“So, why are you bringing this confusion?”

BACKGROUND

On February 4, the senate passed the Electoral Act amendment bill after a five-hour clause-by-clause deliberation.

One of the amendments reduced the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish a notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.

The senate also ruled out real-time transmission of election results and retained the provision for electronic transfer of results as provided for in the 2022 Electoral Act.

The resolution immediately sparked outrage across social media platforms.

At the centre of the controversy is clause 60(3) of the amendment bill.

The proposed amendment reads: “The presiding officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and/or countersigned by the candidates or polling unit agents, where available at the polling unit.”

It clearly stated that this must occur after Form EC8A has been signed and stamped. Form EC8A is used to record political party votes at the polling units.

This amendment intends to make electronic transmission compulsory, ensure it is in real-time, and link same directly to IReV. In other words, it would have transformed electronic transmission from a discretionary exercise into a legal duty.

But the senate rejected this proposal. Instead, it adopted section 60(5) of the existing Electoral Act 2022, which says: “The presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission”.

In the wake of the uproar, the senate on February 8 scheduled an emergency plenary sitting for Tuesday, February 10.

In the notice, Emmanuel Odo, clerk of the senate, said the sitting was convened on the directive of Godswill Akpabio, president of the senate.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had also threatened mass action over the development