The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has differed with the position of the national assembly, insisting it has the capacity to transmit election results electronically from remote areas across Nigeria.
On Wednesday, the Senate passed the electoral act bill with an amendment that the the electronic transmission of election results should be subject to the approval of the Nigeria Communication Commission and the NASS.
Similarly, on Thursday that the House of Representatives was thrown into confusion as members debated section 52(2) of the electoral amendment act bill, which deals with electronic transmission.
The PDP representatives walked out of a session on Friday after Ahmed Wase, the presiding officer and Deputy Speaker, claimed that section 52(2) had been carried.
But Adeleke Adewolu, an Executive Commissioner at the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, told lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Friday that only 50 per cent of Nigeria has the 3G coverage required for transmission.
However, speaking on Channels Television breakfast show on Saturday, Mr Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Chairman and Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, said the Commission’s position was clear.
Okoye said, “We have uploaded results from very remote areas, even from areas where you have to use human carriers to access.
“So, we’ve made our own position very clear, that we have the capacity and we’ve the will to deepen the use of technology in the electoral process.
“But our powers are given by the constitution and the law, and we’ll continue to remain within the ambit and confines of the power granted to the commission by the constitution and the law.”
For all those house member in bithevthe green and red chambers who say naybto E-voting thereby truncating the wish of the people who elected them amadioha will visit then at the appointed time for taking Nigeria backwards just for their selfish purpose which they won’t witness. Inec has come out to say they have the capacity to transmit results from even the most remotest area,so why the resist from some law makers who don’t know anything about growth.