By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
Opposition senators, including Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Aminu Tambuwal, have insisted that the Senate passed Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, which provides for real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The clarification was made on Thursday in Abuja by 13 senators led by Abaribe, following reports that the Senate rejected the clause during plenary on Wednesday.
Abaribe said the Senate President had also confirmed that what was adopted was electronic transmission of results. He explained that a joint committee of the electoral committees of both chambers worked on the bill and unanimously agreed that real-time transmission was necessary.
He added that the Senate considered the report of its ad hoc committee during a closed session before returning to plenary, where the clause was passed.
Abaribe said a harmonisation committee had been set up to reconcile the versions passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, noting that the process would produce a single document for presidential assent.
He also clarified that after Wednesday’s adjournment, the Senate did not reconvene to approve the votes and proceedings, adding that one more procedural step remained before final adoption.
Abaribe urged Nigerians to engage their representatives, stressing that real-time electronic transmission of results is a national, not partisan, issue.
