The President of the Nigerian Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has urged Nigerians to stop blackmailing the leadership of the National Assembly, saying that anyone that has questions on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, (2021) should direct their energy towards lobbying the lawmakers.
Reports emerged last week alleging that some members of the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had raised serious objections about the adoption of the electronic transmission of results.
Subsquently, a strange Section 50(2) reportedly emerged from the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021. According to the instruments of the section, electronic transmission of results would be completely outlawed in Nigeria.
The provision reads, “Voting at an election under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedures determined by the commission, which may include electronic voting provided that the Commission shall not transmit results of the election by electronic means.”
Some aggrieved Nigerians, had last Tuesday, stormed the National Assembly to protest the alleged plan to ban electronic transmission of results in the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021.
The protesters specifically alleged that the clause providing for electronic transmission of results from 8,809 wards across the country to the INEC Server had been removed by the leadership of both chambers.
However, in plenary on Tuesday, Lawan described the allegations of manipulating the contents of the bill as the work of mischief makers bent on blackmailing the leadership of the National Assembly.
While refuting the allegations, the Senate President advised Nigerians to approach lawmakers on any aspect of the bill that is not clear.
He also issued stern warnings to persons who are trying to blackmail him and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila.
He said his privacy was invaded with over 900 messages accusing him of manipulating the contents of the bill.
In his words, “There are various accusations, insinuations that the leadership of the Senate, sometimes the leadership of the National Assembly have tampered with the report of the committee on INEC of both chambers.
“Some of those accusing the leadership of the National Assembly are innocently misinformed, some are simply mischievous and rabble-rousers.
“This is the first time this report is laid here. This is the decision of the committee on INEC and, therefore, whatever will be discussed or considered about the Electoral Act Amendment Bill will be on the basis of what has been presented to the Senate here.
“If anybody feels very strongly about anything, lobby distinguished Senators to canvass for your position, rather than blackmail our leadership, because my telephone line and that of the Honourable Speaker were published. In one day, I received over 900 messages saying we have manipulated this, we didn’t.
“We will do what is right, we have our procedures and lobbying is part of democracy.” Lawan said.
