… Urges FG to step up rescue efforts in Woro
ABUJA: The Senate on Tuesday reversed its earlier position on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act, approving the electronic transmission of election results from polling units.
The upper chamber rescinded the decision it took during its February 4 plenary, when it passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill while retaining a controversial provision that allowed results to be merely “transferred” rather than electronically transmitted.
That decision had sparked widespread public debate and criticism, particularly over concerns about transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
At an emergency plenary on Tuesday, the Chief Whip, Sen. Mohammed Monguno, moved a motion seeking the Senate’s approval to rescind the earlier decision. The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro.
Monguno recalled that the Electoral Act Repeal and Enactment Bill was passed by the Senate last Wednesday but noted that further scrutiny had revealed issues requiring urgent legislative attention.
“Upon careful examination of the bill, fresh issues have emerged in respect of Clause 60(3), requiring further legislative consideration for smooth and transparent elections,” he said.
Relying on the relevant provisions of the Senate Standing Orders, Monguno moved that the word “transfer” in Clause 60(3) be replaced with “transmit” and that the clause be recommitted to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration.
He explained that he was rescinding the earlier motion he personally moved, citing the controversy it generated nationwide.
Following extensive deliberations, the Senate adopted the amended clause, which now mandates the electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Under the amendment, results must be transmitted electronically after the prescribed EC8A forms have been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and available party agents at the polling units.
The Senate further provided that where electronic transmission fails due to communication challenges, the signed or countersigned EC8A form shall remain the primary basis for collation and declaration of results.
The amended Clause 60(3) states that results “shall be transmitted electronically from each polling unit to IReV,” while allowing manual forms to prevail only in cases of verified transmission failure.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio thereafter announced the membership of the conference committee, chaired by Sen. Simon Lalong (APC–Plateau South), to harmonise the bill for onward transmission to the President for assent.
In another development, the Senate has urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts towards the safe rescue and release of all abducted women and children from Woro community in Kaima Local Government Area of Kwara State, following renewed killings and worsening insecurity in the area.
The upper chamber also called on the Federal Government to redesign and comprehensively clear the forest reserves in the area of criminal elements, as well as consider the strategic establishment of security formations where necessary to curb further attacks.
In addition, the Senate urged both the federal and Kwara State governments to provide comprehensive support, resources and well-structured programmes for displaced farmers and residents of Woro community now taking refuge in neighbouring areas. It said the intervention was necessary to restore livelihoods, rebuild economic resilience and ensure sustainable economic stability for the affected persons.
The resolutions followed a Point of Order raised by Senator Sadiq Umar (APC–Kwara) on the killings of over 100 innocent persons in Woro communities of Kaima Local Government Area during plenary on Tuesday.
Moving the motion, Umar said the Senate was deeply concerned that communities in remote and forest-bordering areas remained highly vulnerable and required enhanced protection and early warning mechanisms to prevent loss of lives and avert humanitarian crises.
He, however, acknowledged the prompt humanitarian interventions of President Bola Tinubu, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross, as well as the subsequent deployment of personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Nigerian Police Force to the affected communities.
Contributing, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, described the attacks and killings in Woro community as disturbing, noting that insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and the killing of innocent persons had become recurrent across the country.
Moro said that despite tough pronouncements by the Federal Government, killings had continued in various parts of the country, particularly in Kwara in recent times. He called on the Senate ad hoc committee on security to urgently revive plans for a national security summit, stressing that such a forum would help shape legislative interventions and a review of the nation’s security architecture.
Similarly, Senator Adamu Aliero (APC–Kebbi) said Nigeria had the capacity to deal decisively with bandits and kidnappers, while former Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC–Yobe), urged closer collaboration between the legislature and the executive, including the recruitment of more soldiers and security personnel.
All the prayers of the motion were adopted after a voice vote conducted by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary.
