Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West) has called on membership of Senate, House conference committee on harmonisation of Electoral Bill to adopt the House of Representatives' version which mandates electronic transmission of election results from polling units to IReV without any provision for manual backup.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the lawmaker said the version reflected what the joint committees, consultants, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) agreed upon.
He added that INEC assured them at the committee level of its capacity to transmit results electronically.
According to him, "If the law makes it compulsory, then it is INEC's duty to acquire and deploy the necessary technology across the country."
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The member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Act said the issue of electronic transmission has become central to electoral integrity because manipulation often occurs at collation centres not just at polling units.
He said once results were transmitted immediately after polling, it becomes difficult to alter them.
He said: "For almost two years, as a member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, we worked extensively on amendments to the electoral laws. We held workshops, joint sessions with the House of Representatives, meetings with INEC, the technical committee, consultants, and other stakeholders, as well as public hearings in Abuja and Lagos.
"We all agreed--crucially with INEC--on a framework that would regulate the conduct of elections in this country moving forward. But we could not conclude the process before tragedy struck. The Deputy Governor of my state collapsed suddenly and died, throwing the entire state and my family into mourning.
"Yesterday was the first time I attended a Senate sitting since his burial. Despite my personal state, I attended the emergency session because of its importance. While I was still in Bayelsa, I was shocked to learn that the House of Representatives, which received the same document, passed it without any alteration. But the Senate delayed and later removed a very crucial clause that had been unanimously agreed upon at the joint committee level, replacing it with a weaker provision from the previous law.
"That development shocked me, though I was not surprised when civil society organisations raised alarm and Nigerians expressed outrage. This was why the Senate leadership convened the emergency session. The clause was brought back, but with a proviso stating that where electronic transmission fails, manual results would serve as the primary evidence. That proviso is what many Nigerians are rightly concerned about.
"Even though the Senate version uses the word 'shall', the concern remains that the proviso could be abused. Exceptions should never become the norm. I call on Nigerians not to give up on democracy. The fight for free, fair, and credible elections is ongoing. The prize for liberty is eternal vigilance.
"Citizens must continue to mobilise, sensitise, and participate fully in elections. Go to your polling stations, cast your votes, and insist that presiding officers comply with the law by transmitting results electronically.
"I also urge INEC, through its guidelines and manuals, to ensure that electronic transmission remains the general rule, and not a cover for subverting the democratic wishes of the Nigerian people.
"I commend Nigerians for their vigilance, and I urge resilience. Just because institutions are not perfect does not mean we should abandon the democratic struggle."
The Senate version on the amended Clause 60(3) permitting both electronic and manual transmission of results differed from that of the House.
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The House version states that: "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 have been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and/or counter-signed by the candidates or polling unit agents where available at the polling unit."
However, the Senate version which allows manual collation of results reads: "that results shall be transmitted electronically from each polling unit to IReV.
"And such transmission shall be done after the prescribed EC8A has been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and party agents who are available at the polling unit. Provided that if the electronic transmission of the result fails as a result of communication failure, the result contained in form EC8A signed by the presiding officer and/or countersigned by the polling agents shall, in such a case, be the primary source of collation and declaration of results."
