NIGERIA LAWMAKERS TORN BETWEEN A LONG KNIFE AND A SHORT SWORD
Publish by. Borderless Media
In a clear hint at the direction of the 2023 national elections, different organs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly its legislators in the National Assembly began a serious nationwide campaign to mobilise Nigerians against the attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to have least guiding conduct of elections fashioned to achieve certain predetermined goals.
Legislators from the main opposition PDP leaked what was described as surreptitious moves to include clauses outside what they claimed was discussed and approved by committees. In the Senate, the Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chaired by Senator Kabiru Gayahad a difficult time trying to explain a ‘stranger clause which sought to whittle down the powers of the electoral umpire.
Since the matter had not yet been brought to the floor, Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan was quoted as dismissing the stringent calls from civil society groups, the opposition and other influential groups and individuals as rabble rousing.
But he had underestimated the power of the people. The APC legislators lost the case in the court of public opinion and missed the chance to explain and win understanding for its stance. The prevailing public perception which weighed heavily against the APC was captured by THISDAY Newspapers in its lead Front Page story, ‘Afraid of Defeat in 2023, APC Senators Weaken e-Transmission of Election Results’.
According to the Newspaper, Senate spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, the lawmakers supported electronic transmission of election results, but provided the network is adequate as adjudged by NCC, subjected to approval of the National Assembly. He added that all over the world, there is no where there is total network coverage
Attacks on electromic transmission of election results appear to be the only clause sharply divided the federal lawmakers along partisan lines and increased hostility among them. The Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021, contains 154 clauses. Only Clause 52(3) of the bill, that provides for electronic transmission of election results appears to be in contention.
But Mr. Solomon Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, a leading election monitoring group thinks there are other consequential amendments in the electoral Bill that bother on electronic transmission of election results. He said, “You have some sections that needs to be amended. It is not enough that you amend Section 52 (2,3) without amending those sections because even if you retain this section as proposed by the committee you have got to change some sections that deal with collation of results and things like prescribed forms.
Those are issues that will come up. It is clear that the 2023 elections is going to be a war between Nigerians and the political class that want to seize political power at all costs and they don’t care whether the election is a reflection of the will of the people. All they care about is whatever will give them power. And they are willing to lay down their lives to ensure that they get the power.”
A high ranking member of the APC and an aspirant for the party’s governorship ticket in Anambra State who is also the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr. George Moghalu maintained that perception may not always be the reality. He reaffirmed believe in the promise of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to refrain from anything that will frustrate the process of a credible election.
Mr. Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) stated that, “there is a lot of disappointment among election stakeholders and Nigerians generally, that the National Assembly failed to use the opportunity of the new Electoral Bill, to give to the country, an improved electoral legal framework.
The Senate Bill that subjects the use of electronic transmission of election results to NCC and NASS approval, is not only retrogressive but also unconstitutional and unacceptable. Manual transmission of election results is at the root of electoral fraud and violence in Nigeria and the Senate ought to have risen to the occasion and made an Electoral law that serves the country and elevates our elections to a respectable level.
