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 2002 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”.
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