Abuja: The Senate has passed the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill to regulate the conduct of federal, state, and Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This decision followed a clause-by-clause consideration of the bill by lawmakers in the Committee of the Whole.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, commended the committee for their efforts. He emphasized that there were no delays in the amendment process, stating that the intent was to ensure the bill reflects the aspirations of Nigerians. The Senate retained Clause 60, which pertains to the ‘Electronic Transmission of Results,’ countering misinformation that suggested otherwise.
Akpabio clarified that the Senate has always supported electronic transmission, which was utilized in 2020. He assured that the Senate’s actions are transparent and that electronic transmission remains part of the electoral laws. He highlighted the importance of moving forward technologically and announced the formation
of a Conference Committee, chaired by Sen. Niyi Adegbonmire, to advance the bill.
The Senate also amended several clauses in the bill. Clause 22(C) now penalizes buying or selling voter cards with a fine of up to N5 million or imprisonment of up to two years. Clause 28 was amended to reduce the notice of election from 360 days to 180 days. Clause 29 requires political parties to submit prescribed forms to the commission no later than 90 days before elections. Clause 47 was amended to make the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) the mode of accreditation, with the Permanent Voter Card as identification.
The session concluded with an announcement of an adjournment until Feb. 24 for budget defense discussions.