Lawan sheds more light on electronic transmission of election results Bill

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has shed more light on the Bill concerning electronic transmission of election results

According to him, the votes against the electronic transmission of election results was not only done by only members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) but by some People Democratic Party, PDP, senators as well.

Recall that the upper legislative chamber while considering the Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill, voted that “The Commission(INEC) may consider electronic transmission of results, provided the national coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the National Communications Commission (NCC) and approved by the National Assembly.”

Explaining the reasons why the Senate voted the way it did in a statement by Ola Awoniyi, his Special Adviser (Media), Lawan revealed  that lawmakers will always ensure that whatever law is being passed will benefit every Nigerian.

“I’m happy that we have been able to pass the amendment even though some people are complaining of what we have passed in the Senate and probably what the House of Representatives has also passed.

“When the majority of Senators voted against immediate application or deployment of electronic transmission of results from the polling units, to the ward, to the local government, states and federal, they didn’t say they do not believe in electronic transmission of election results,” Lawan said.

“We know the evils of not transmitting results electronically but compare the evils of electronically transmitting just half of the electoral votes from Nigerians.

“We had Senators from the northern part of Nigeria who voted for electronic transmission. Maybe that is their belief or their environment is ready for electronic transmission.

“There were also Senators from the southern part of Nigeria who voted against the immediate deployment of electronic transmission but they support that the electronic transmission of results should be allowed after certain conditions are met and the conditions are simple.

“At the end of the day democracy is to allow those minority views to be expressed and democracy ensures that the majority views will always prevail.”