ON ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENT AND THE SENATE’S ABRAKADABRA: THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS REMAINS THE PROBLEM OF NIGERIA
July 30, 2021 | News
I am still appalled by the fact that, despite INEC’s assurance that it has the capacity to guarantee electronic transmission of election results, the Nigerian lawmakers, especially those in the ruling party, thought otherwise because the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) said that the nation lacks capacity on electronic transmission.
-By Zik Gbemre
ON ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENT AND THE SENATE’S ABRAKADABRA: THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS REMAINS THE PROBLEM OF NIGERIA
The recent actions of the lawmakers in the Electoral Amendment Act, is evidence of the fact that they do not want TRANSPARENCY in the nation’s electoral process…
The National Assembly should stop this spread of mediocrity and personal interest they show case as supposed national interest. As such attitude, is making us a laughing stock before the world…
If we can transmit WAEC, JAMB, NECO examinations results and including our NATIONAL BUDGET electronically, why can’t they allow an INDEPENDENT body like INEC transmit election results electronically?…
The National Assembly should expunge the proviso in section 52 of the electoral amendment bill, that tends to take away the independence of INEC by subjecting its constitutional powers to conduct, undertake and supervise election, to the approval of an agency – NCC, and the Senate…
I am still appalled by the fact that, despite INEC’s assurance that it has the capacity to guarantee electronic transmission of election results, the Nigerian lawmakers, especially those in the ruling party, thought otherwise because the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) said that the nation lacks capacity on electronic transmission. But the only reason that I think of, as to why they opposed this, is because THEY DO NOT WANT TRANSPARENCY IN THE NATION’S ELECTORAL PROCESS. They want things to continue the way they are because that is what favours them in manipulating election results to suit their selfish interests.
It is a pathetic and sad situation to have a ‘small number of political leaders’ as lawmakers, whose ‘maintenance’ is daily bleeding the nation’s resources to the detriment of Capital expenditure that would provide needed development for a population of over 200 million people in this country. Yet, they still make laws that only satisfies their selfish desires and ambitions, without any regard to how this affects the populace there are supposed to represent, and their future of the people.
These and more were reiterated in another recent well circulated shot video of The Advocate, anchored by Liborous Oshoma. While analyzing the deplorable situation in Nigeria, he started by saying: “According to Theodore Roselvelt, vote is like a riffle, its usefulness depends on the character of the user, and people should know that the greatest threat, to the constitutional rights to vote is voters’ fraud. Nigerian Senate Electoral Abracadabra.
“Before now, we use to say we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but Principalities, Demons and Powers. If you like say PDP, my hand no dey. And in search of a solution, we brought upon ourselves, Armoured Personal Carrier, I didn’t say APC ohh! Now there’s killing, banditry, kidnapping amongst us everywhere. In the midst of all of this, last week, while the dust of the people’s dance step is yet to settle, as they celebrated the Nay of the Senate, on the rejection of the nomination of Malam Lauretha Onochie, as National Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Frankly, I didn’t know that the Nays could still have it in such a matter at the Senate. But little did we know that another bigger Nay was in the offing, as we saw THE UNITY OF THE RULING CLASS, AGAINST THE LIBERATION OF THE COUNTRY IN THEIR REJECTION OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF VOTES.
“The Senate, in a split vote of 52 against, and 28 for; rejected the unconditional inclusion of electronic transmission of election results in the amended electoral Act. According to them, for it to be included, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), must certify the network okay and the Senate must approve such certification.
“This is despite the clear provisions of the Article F, paragraph 15a of the Third schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, WHICH VEST THE POWERS TO ORGANIZE, UNDERTAKE, AND SUPERVISE ALL ELECTION IN NIGERIA IN THE INEC, AS AN INDEPENDENT BODY, WHICH SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE DIRECTION OF ANYBODY OR AUTHORITY. And section 78 of the same constitution, which state unequivocally, that the registration of voters and the conduct of election shall be subject to the direction and supervision of INEC.
“With that amendment, it was obvious, as rumoured by the Southern governors, that the said section 52 (3) was initially expunged from the proposed bill until they were exposed by the Southern governors, and our collective shout. They then hurriedly included it, and found another way to remove it, in what is called; giving with one hand, and taking with another. You call it magic; I call it grand Senate Abracadabra.
“So, for INEC to transmit election results electronically, they need NCC’s clearance and Senate resolution. Yet, WE TRANSMIT WAEC, JAMB, AND NECO EXAMINATIONS RESULTS ELECTRONICALLY. We even wire National budget electronically. Including our phone registration and national data management; all electronically. If we can’t transmit election results electronically unless NCC certifies the network, does that mean, all the telecommunication network for Nigeria, wen we take dey do all the electronic transfer, registration and co since, no get certification by NCC? Anyway, abeg Senate President please help us to answer that question.
“Some Senators, even though were in a dinner with the President a day before the vote, stylishly stayed away from the proceedings that day. So, that they won’t know them for who they are. Or maybe their belle purge them that day. MAY WE PURGE ALL OF THEM AWAY FROM OUR NATIONAL LIFE, COME NEXT ELECTION, I hear you say amen! But however, breeze don blow, fowl yash don open for public. And the people must overcome these politicians soon.
“Wetin this people no go do to keep the poor country men perpetually in bondage..."
“I will immediately advise the members of the National Assembly, to expunge the proviso section 52 of the electoral amendment bill, that tends to take away the independence of INEC by subjecting its constitutional powers to conduct, undertake and supervise election, to the approval of an agency – NCC, and the Senate, as seen inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Otherwise, the illegal law they establish today, can be used to punish them into political oblivion by the dictatorial executive in the near future. The National Assembly should also, as a matter of urgency, establish a special office that will help them scrutinize every bill, to ensure that it is not inconsistent, with either any existing law; or the provisions of the constitution. The National Assembly should stop this spread of mediocrity and personal interest they show case as supposed national interest. As such attitude, is making us a laughing stock before the world, both online and offline. I don talk my own. Do you own by sharing, so them go hear.”
The truth is that if the leadership foundation in the country is wrong, then nothing good can come out of it, or stand on it, when it comes to public office accountability and doing things in the interest of the people first, before any other thing. We must get that as a people and stop chasing shadows. Unless we are seriously hoping for a miracle that will never happen.
Although, the House of Representatives has come out to clarify that the passage of the electoral bill into law cannot hinder INEC from adopting electronic voting and transmission of election results in 2023. Saying that they have asked the President to simply withhold his assent when presented the bill, but he should reject same and return it to the National Assembly for due diligence to be done. Until that happens, I ask that all stakeholders across the country who means well for this country, should speak out and also reject what the lawmakers has done with the electoral bill.
Zik Gbemre.
August 6, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
-By Zik Gbemre
ON ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENT AND THE SENATE’S ABRAKADABRA: THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS REMAINS THE PROBLEM OF NIGERIA
The recent actions of the lawmakers in the Electoral Amendment Act, is evidence of the fact that they do not want TRANSPARENCY in the nation’s electoral process…
The National Assembly should stop this spread of mediocrity and personal interest they show case as supposed national interest. As such attitude, is making us a laughing stock before the world…
If we can transmit WAEC, JAMB, NECO examinations results and including our NATIONAL BUDGET electronically, why can’t they allow an INDEPENDENT body like INEC transmit election results electronically?…
The National Assembly should expunge the proviso in section 52 of the electoral amendment bill, that tends to take away the independence of INEC by subjecting its constitutional powers to conduct, undertake and supervise election, to the approval of an agency – NCC, and the Senate…
I am still appalled by the fact that, despite INEC’s assurance that it has the capacity to guarantee electronic transmission of election results, the Nigerian lawmakers, especially those in the ruling party, thought otherwise because the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) said that the nation lacks capacity on electronic transmission. But the only reason that I think of, as to why they opposed this, is because THEY DO NOT WANT TRANSPARENCY IN THE NATION’S ELECTORAL PROCESS. They want things to continue the way they are because that is what favours them in manipulating election results to suit their selfish interests.
It is a pathetic and sad situation to have a ‘small number of political leaders’ as lawmakers, whose ‘maintenance’ is daily bleeding the nation’s resources to the detriment of Capital expenditure that would provide needed development for a population of over 200 million people in this country. Yet, they still make laws that only satisfies their selfish desires and ambitions, without any regard to how this affects the populace there are supposed to represent, and their future of the people.
These and more were reiterated in another recent well circulated shot video of The Advocate, anchored by Liborous Oshoma. While analyzing the deplorable situation in Nigeria, he started by saying: “According to Theodore Roselvelt, vote is like a riffle, its usefulness depends on the character of the user, and people should know that the greatest threat, to the constitutional rights to vote is voters’ fraud. Nigerian Senate Electoral Abracadabra.
“Before now, we use to say we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but Principalities, Demons and Powers. If you like say PDP, my hand no dey. And in search of a solution, we brought upon ourselves, Armoured Personal Carrier, I didn’t say APC ohh! Now there’s killing, banditry, kidnapping amongst us everywhere. In the midst of all of this, last week, while the dust of the people’s dance step is yet to settle, as they celebrated the Nay of the Senate, on the rejection of the nomination of Malam Lauretha Onochie, as National Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Frankly, I didn’t know that the Nays could still have it in such a matter at the Senate. But little did we know that another bigger Nay was in the offing, as we saw THE UNITY OF THE RULING CLASS, AGAINST THE LIBERATION OF THE COUNTRY IN THEIR REJECTION OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF VOTES.
“The Senate, in a split vote of 52 against, and 28 for; rejected the unconditional inclusion of electronic transmission of election results in the amended electoral Act. According to them, for it to be included, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), must certify the network okay and the Senate must approve such certification.
“This is despite the clear provisions of the Article F, paragraph 15a of the Third schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, WHICH VEST THE POWERS TO ORGANIZE, UNDERTAKE, AND SUPERVISE ALL ELECTION IN NIGERIA IN THE INEC, AS AN INDEPENDENT BODY, WHICH SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE DIRECTION OF ANYBODY OR AUTHORITY. And section 78 of the same constitution, which state unequivocally, that the registration of voters and the conduct of election shall be subject to the direction and supervision of INEC.
“With that amendment, it was obvious, as rumoured by the Southern governors, that the said section 52 (3) was initially expunged from the proposed bill until they were exposed by the Southern governors, and our collective shout. They then hurriedly included it, and found another way to remove it, in what is called; giving with one hand, and taking with another. You call it magic; I call it grand Senate Abracadabra.
“So, for INEC to transmit election results electronically, they need NCC’s clearance and Senate resolution. Yet, WE TRANSMIT WAEC, JAMB, AND NECO EXAMINATIONS RESULTS ELECTRONICALLY. We even wire National budget electronically. Including our phone registration and national data management; all electronically. If we can’t transmit election results electronically unless NCC certifies the network, does that mean, all the telecommunication network for Nigeria, wen we take dey do all the electronic transfer, registration and co since, no get certification by NCC? Anyway, abeg Senate President please help us to answer that question.
“Some Senators, even though were in a dinner with the President a day before the vote, stylishly stayed away from the proceedings that day. So, that they won’t know them for who they are. Or maybe their belle purge them that day. MAY WE PURGE ALL OF THEM AWAY FROM OUR NATIONAL LIFE, COME NEXT ELECTION, I hear you say amen! But however, breeze don blow, fowl yash don open for public. And the people must overcome these politicians soon.
“Wetin this people no go do to keep the poor country men perpetually in bondage..."
“I will immediately advise the members of the National Assembly, to expunge the proviso section 52 of the electoral amendment bill, that tends to take away the independence of INEC by subjecting its constitutional powers to conduct, undertake and supervise election, to the approval of an agency – NCC, and the Senate, as seen inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Otherwise, the illegal law they establish today, can be used to punish them into political oblivion by the dictatorial executive in the near future. The National Assembly should also, as a matter of urgency, establish a special office that will help them scrutinize every bill, to ensure that it is not inconsistent, with either any existing law; or the provisions of the constitution. The National Assembly should stop this spread of mediocrity and personal interest they show case as supposed national interest. As such attitude, is making us a laughing stock before the world, both online and offline. I don talk my own. Do you own by sharing, so them go hear.”
The truth is that if the leadership foundation in the country is wrong, then nothing good can come out of it, or stand on it, when it comes to public office accountability and doing things in the interest of the people first, before any other thing. We must get that as a people and stop chasing shadows. Unless we are seriously hoping for a miracle that will never happen.
Although, the House of Representatives has come out to clarify that the passage of the electoral bill into law cannot hinder INEC from adopting electronic voting and transmission of election results in 2023. Saying that they have asked the President to simply withhold his assent when presented the bill, but he should reject same and return it to the National Assembly for due diligence to be done. Until that happens, I ask that all stakeholders across the country who means well for this country, should speak out and also reject what the lawmakers has done with the electoral bill.
Zik Gbemre.
August 6, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes